PUBLICATION

MicroRNAs and micromanaging the skeleton in disease, development and evolution

Authors
He, X., Eberhart, J.K., and Postlethwait, J.H.
ID
ZDB-PUB-101209-29
Date
2009
Source
Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine   13(4): 606-618 (Review)
Registered Authors
Eberhart, Johann, He, Xinjun, Postlethwait, John H.
Keywords
zebrafish, craniofacial development, microRNA, miR-140, osteopenia, osteoporosis, medaka, ageing, skeleton evolution
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Bone and Bones/abnormalities
  • Bone and Bones/embryology*
  • Bone and Bones/metabolism
  • Bone and Bones/pathology*
  • Disease*
  • Genome/genetics
  • Health
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs/metabolism*
PubMed
19220576 Full text @ J. Cell. Mol. Med.
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-protein-encoding RNAs that effect post-transcriptional gene regulation by targeting messenger RNAs. miRNAs are associated with specific human diseases and help regulate development. Here we review recent advances in understanding the roles of miRNAs in skeletal malformations, including cleft palate, and in the evolution of skeletal morphologies. We propose the hypothesis that evolutionary variation in miRNA expression patterns or structural variation in miRNA binding sites in messenger RNAs can help explain the evolution of craniofacial variation among species, the development of human craniofacial disease and physiological changes leading to osteopenia that increases with ageing.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping