Huang Xiao Albert, Lin Haifan
Yale Stem Cell Center, Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Wiley Interdiscip Rev Dev Biol. 2012 Jan-Feb;1(1):83-95. doi: 10.1002/wdev.5. Epub 2011 Nov 17.
The microRNA (miRNA) pathway, as a fundamental mechanism of gene regulation, plays a key role in controlling the establishment, self-renewal, and differentiation of stem cells. Such regulation is manifested as fine tuning the temporal- and tissue-specificity of gene expression. This fine-tuning function is achieved by (1) miRNAs form positive and negative feedback loops with transcription factors and epigenetic factors to exert concerted control of given biological processes and/or (2) different miRNAs converge to control one or more mRNA targets in a signaling pathway. These regulatory mechanisms are found in embryonic stem cells, iPS cells, and adult tissue stem cells. The distinct expression profiles of miRNAs and their regulatory roles in various types of stem cells render these RNAs potentially effective tools for clinical diagnosis and therapy.
微小RNA（miRNA）途径作为基因调控的基本机制，在控制干细胞的建立、自我更新和分化中起关键作用。这种调控表现为对基因表达的时间和组织特异性进行微调。这种微调功能是通过以下方式实现的：（1）miRNA与转录因子和表观遗传因子形成正反馈和负反馈环，以协同控制特定的生物学过程，和/或（2）不同的miRNA汇聚在一起，控制信号通路中的一个或多个mRNA靶标。这些调控机制在胚胎干细胞、诱导多能干细胞和成体组织干细胞中均有发现。miRNA在各种类型干细胞中的独特表达谱及其调控作用，使这些RNA成为临床诊断和治疗的潜在有效工具。
