MicroRNAs: Shortcuts in dealing with molecular complexity?

Abstract

Recent studies from Clarke's group published in the journal Cell indicate that miRNAs may be the elusive universal stem cell markers that the fi eld of cancer stem cell biology has been seeking. Distinct profi les of miRNAs appear to refl ect the state of cell diff erentiation not only in breast cancer cells, but also in normal mammary epithelial cells. Moreover, they are conserved across tissues and species. The authors of this work also show evidence that downregulation of miRNA-200c in normal and malignant breast stem cells and in embryonal carcinoma cells has functional relevance, being responsible for the proliferative potential of these cells in vitro and in vivo.© 2010 BioMed Central Ltd.