Caenorhabditis elegans: An important tool for dissecting microRNA functions

Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a member of the phylum Nematoda, carries the evolutionarily conserved genes comparing to mammals. Due to its short lifespan and completely sequenced genome, C. elegans becomes a potentially powerful model for mechanistic studies in human diseases. In this mini review, we will outline the current understandings on C. elegans as a model organism for microRNA (miRNA)-related research in the pathogenesis of human diseases.