MicroRNA and stem cell regulation.

Stem cells and microRNAs (miRNAs) represent two fast-developing frontiers of biological research. Stem cells function in embryonic development and tissue maintenance and are characterized by two fundamental properties: self-renewal and multipotency. Within many types of cancers, a small population of cells possesses stem cell-like characteristics. These cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been hypothesized to represent the disease-propagating and drug-resisting cell population. An increased understanding of the biology of stem cells and CSCs offers potential in the development of regenerative medicine and treatments for oncological disease. miRNAs are emerging as important regulators of post-transcriptional gene regulation, and have been demonstrated to be an integral component in stem cell regulation. This article reviews recent advances in the understanding of the roles of miRNAs in regulating various stem cell types, including embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and CSCs.