Long non-coding RNAs: new players in cell differentiation and development

Genomes of multicellular organisms produce thousands of different long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) species.lncRNAs have crucial roles in gene expression control during developmental and differentiation processes.lncRNAs can regulate gene expression by several mechanisms in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm.lncRNAs drive the formation of ribonucleoprotein complexes and guide them to specific targets to regulate gene expression.Different in vitro and in vivo systems have shown the importance of lncRNAs in developmental processes, such as in dosage compensation, genomic imprinting, cell differentiation and organogenesis.lncRNAs can form regulative networks with other RNA species, such as microRNAs and mRNAs.