Crosstalk between microRNA and Epigenetic Regulation in Stem Cells

The differential expression of common genomes in many multicellular organisms is the fundamental phenomenon studied in epigenetics. Stem cells retain the unique ability to hold potency and self renew as well as the ability to differentiate into distinct cell types upon receipt of specific environmental cues. These processes exemplify the critical role of epigenetic regulation in modulating the expression of common genomes and provide a link between cellular genotype and phenotype. Small regulatory RNAs, 21 to 30 nucleotides in length, including microRNAs (miRNAs), are sequence-specific posttranscriptional regulators of thousands of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and therefore shape diverse cellular pathways. Multiple forms of epigenetic regulation within the context of stem cells, specifically that of epigenetic regulation of microRNAs. have been found to hold significance during neurogenesis from a stem cell state. Mechanisms by which this regulation is accomplished and discussion of the role of epigenetic regulation of miRNA expression during stem cell function will be put forth