title: Roles of MicroRNA across Prenatal and Postnatal Periods.
abstract: Communication between mother and offspring in mammals starts at implantation via the maternal-placental-fetal axis, and continues postpartum via milk targeted to the intestinal mucosa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short, noncoding single-stranded RNAs, of about 22 nucleotides in length, are actively involved in many developmental and physiological processes. Here we highlight the role of miRNA in the dynamic signaling that guides infant development, starting from implantation of conceptus and persisting through the prenatal and postnatal periods. miRNAs in body fluids, particularly in amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, and breast milk may offer new opportunities to investigate physiological and/or pathological molecular mechanisms that portend to open novel research avenues for the identification of noninvasive biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H8M5, Canada. ilaria.floris84@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Floris
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H8M5, Canada. jkraf053@uottawa.ca.
authors.forename: Jamie D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON K1H8M5, Canada. altosaar@uottawa.ca.
authors.forename: Illimar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Altosaar
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: breast milk; maternal-offspring crosstalk; microRNA; noninvasive biomarkers