Context-dependent functions of specific microRNAs in neuronal development
Authors
Gao, Fen-BiaoDocument Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2010-10-06Keywords
MicroRNAsNeurons
Life Sciences
Medicine and Health Sciences
Neurology
Neuroscience and Neurobiology
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate multiple developmental processes at the post-transcriptional level. Recent rapid progresses have demonstrated critical roles for a number of miRNAs in neuronal development and function. In particular, miR-9 and miR-124 are specifically expressed in the mammalian nervous system, and their respective nucleotide sequences are 100% identical among many species. Yet, their expression patterns and mRNA targets are less conserved throughout evolution. As a consequence, these miRNAs exhibit diverse context-dependent functions in different aspects of neuronal development, ranging from early neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation to dendritic morphogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Some other neuronal miRNAs also exhibit context-dependent functions in development. Thus, post-transcriptional regulation of spatial and temporal expression levels of protein-coding genes by miRNAs contributes uniquely to the proper development and evolution of the complex nervous system.Source
Neural Dev. 2010 Oct 1;5(1):25. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1186/1749-8104-5-25Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/39427PubMed ID
20920300Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1186/1749-8104-5-25