Abstract
miRNAs compose a class of short single-stranded RNA molecules that function by regulating the expression of their target genes. Recent evidence has shown that miRNAs play a critical role in the maintenance of stem cell pluripotency and differentiation. In this chapter, we will provide an overview about the biogenesis of the miRNAs and the principal of their mechanism of action. We will highlight the most common theories about the way they establish simple regulatory networks with their targets. We will also discuss, in more details, the role of ES cell-specific miRNAs in the maintenance of pluripotency of the mouse embryonic stem cells (ES cells), and their connection to epigenetic silencing and regulation of cell cycle.
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