microRNAs: Tiny RNA molecules, huge driving forces to move the cell

Abstract

Cell migration or movement is a highly dynamic cellular process, requiring precise regulation that is essential for a variety of biological processes. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of tiny non-coding RNA molecules that function as critical post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Emerging evidence demonstrates that miRNAs play important roles in cell migration and directly contribute to extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, cell adhesion, and cell signalling that controls cell migration by targeting a large number of protein-coding genes. Accordingly, the dysregulation of these miRNAs has been linked to several migration-related diseases. In this review, we summarize and highlight the recent advances concerning the roles and validated targets of miRNAs in the control of cell movement. © 2010 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.