Roles of microRNAs in the Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system.
The first microRNA was discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans in 1993, and since then, thousands of microRNAs have been identified from almost all eukaryotic organisms examined. MicroRNAs function in many biological events such as cell fate determination, metabolism, apoptosis, and carcinogenesis. So far, more than 250 microRNAs have been identified in C. elegans; however, functions for most of these microRNAs are still unknown. A small number of C. elegans microRNAs are associated with known physiological roles such as developmental timing, cell differentiation, stress response, and longevity. In this review, we summarize known roles of microRNAs in neuronal differentiation and function of C. elegans, and discuss interesting perspectives for future studies.
School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430074, China.
Lingfeng
L
Meng
Liang
L
Chen
Zhaoyong
Z
Li
Zheng-Xing
ZX
Wu
Ge
G
Shan
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008136:Longevity; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013997:Time Factors
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D018510:RNA, Helminth
C. elegans; Differentiation; Function; MicroRNA; Nervous system