[an error occurred while processing this directive]

HEREDITAS ›› 2013, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (10): 1153-1166.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1005.2013.01153

Previous Articles     Next Articles

The effect of microRNAs on the regulatory network of pluripotency in embryonic stem cells

BAI Yin-Shan, LI Li, WEI Heng-Xi, ZHU Cui, ZHANG Shou-Quan   

  1. Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
  • Received:2013-04-01 Revised:2013-05-28 Online:2013-10-20 Published:2013-10-25

Abstract:

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent stem cells characterized by their ability to self-renew and their pluripotency to differentiate into all cell types. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a small non-coding RNA molecule which can regulate transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene expression, and may also play significant roles in regulating proliferation and differentiation of ESCs. The maintenance of pluripotency in ESCs may involve a regulatory network of many factors and pathways regulated by miRNA, which includes ESCs transcription factors, cell cycle regulation, epigenetic modifications as well as intracelluar signal transduction. This review mainly elaborates the biogenesis of miRNA, the miRNA families regulating the pluripotency of ESCs, and the effect of miRNA on the regulatory network of pluripotency in ESCs.

Key words: ESCs, miRNA, pluripotency, regulation