见微知著——微核糖核酸对细胞命运的显著调控

MicroRNAs, Micro but with Macro Roles in Cell Fate Determining

重编程和分化、转分化在再生医学的应用中有巨大的潜能。在这些细胞命运转变中,微核糖核酸(microRNA,miRNA)或者微核糖核酸簇通过基因转录后调控发挥了重要作用。该文将从细胞miRNA表达谱与细胞谱系决定,miRNA与胚胎干细胞(embryonic stem cells,ESCs)多能性调控,miRNA与重编程、分化、转分化等方面综述领域内的最新进展,并结合该实验室在miR-302-367簇与重编程及神经干细胞转分化方面的研究工作展开对miRNA参与细胞命运调控的讨论。

Reprogramming, differentiation and trans-differentiation hold great potential in regenerative medicine. In these cell fate transitions, miRNAs or miRNA clusters play vital roles by targeting related mRNAs to direct the post-transcriptional regulation. Herein, this review outlines the latest breakthoughs in following topics： miRNA profiling and cell lineage determining, miRNAs in regulating the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, miRNAs in regulating reprogramming, differentiation and trans-differentiation. In addition, we highlight the dra- matic progresses of miR-302-367 cluster in cell fate regulation, based on our studies of reprogramming and trans- differentiation to neural progenitor stem cells using this cluster.