title: Regulation of body growth by microRNAs.
abstract: Regulation of body growth remains a fascinating and unresolved biological mystery. One key component of body growth is skeletal and longitudinal bone growth. Children grow taller because their bones grew longer, and the predominant driver of longitudinal bone growth is a cartilaginous structure found near the ends of long bone named the growth plate. Numerous recent studies have started to unveil the importance of microRNAs in regulation of growth plate functions, therefore contributing to regulation of linear growth. In addition to longitudinal growth, other organs in our body need to increase in size and cell number as we grow, and the regulation of organ growth involves both systemic factors like hormones; and other intrinsic mechanisms, which we are just beginning to understand. This review aims to summarize some recent important findings on how microRNAs are involved in both of these processes: the regulation of longitudinal bone growth, and the regulation of organs and overall body growth.
authors: Section on Growth and Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, CRC Rm 1-3330, 10 Center Drive, MSC-1103, Bethesda, MD, 20892-1103, United States. Electronic address: luichunk@mail.nih.gov.
authors: Julian C
authors: JC
authors: Lui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001846:Bone Development / Q000235:genetics*; D002356:Cartilage / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone
keywords: Body growth; Body size; Cartilage; Growth plate; miRNA