The role of microRNAs in neurons

¿The Role of microRNAs in Neurons¿ describes the experiments that lead to the identification of neuronal miRNAs and their targets, including targets of a key neuronal miRNA, miR-124. Bioinformatics analysis of the identified compendium of targets strongly supports the theory that miRNAs guard the steady state gene expression equilibrium and act as dumpers of spikes in mRNA expression during cellular stress. The analysis presented in this book provides a plausible explanation to surprising results of a series of published experiments showing a temporary increase in neuronal plasticity and enhanced learning upon disruption of miRNA biogenesis in the mouse brain. Finally, ¿The Role of microRNAs in Neurons¿ shows that function of miRNAs is context dependent. For example, this book shows that a composition of genes subjected to miRNA-mediated inhibition in transfected cells is enriched in genes that are induced by the transfection reagent in the first place. This result bares important implications for adequate planning of future experiments aimed at studying miRNA targets, as well interpretation of results of miRNA experiments conducted in the past.