Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
09:06
MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method
Published on: October 7, 2025
MicroRNA-210: a unique and pleiotropic hypoxamir
Stephen Y Chan1, Joseph Loscalzo
1Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA.
Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)
|March 19, 2010
Summary
Hypoxia inducible factor-alpha (HIF-α) controls cellular adaptation to low oxygen. A key microRNA, miR-210, acts as a master regulator, influencing diverse cellular functions and disease states.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Hypoxia, or inadequate oxygen availability, triggers complex cellular adaptations for survival and function.
- Hypoxia inducible factor-alpha (HIF-α) is a master transcription factor regulating over 100 genes involved in cellular responses.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators of hypoxia-induced gene expression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of hypoxia-responsive microRNAs, specifically microRNA-210 (miR-210), in cellular adaptation to hypoxia.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which miR-210 controls cellular functions under hypoxic conditions.
- To establish miR-210 as a potential "master microRNA" in hypoxia-mediated cellular responses.
Main Methods:
- In silico analysis to predict miR-210 targets.
- Transcriptional assays to validate gene regulation by miR-210.
- Biochemical methods to confirm direct interactions between miR-210 and its targets.
Main Results:
- miR-210 is identified as a hypoxia-inducible microRNA (hypoxamir).
- Multiple direct targets of miR-210 have been identified and validated.
- miR-210 is mechanistically linked to diverse cellular responses, including metabolism, survival, proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, inflammation, and tumorigenesis.
Conclusions:
- miR-210 functions as a master microRNA, orchestrating cellular adaptation to hypoxia.
- miR-210 plays a significant role in both normal physiological processes and hypoxia-dependent diseases.
- Understanding miR-210's function provides insights into therapeutic strategies for conditions involving hypoxia.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22MicroRNAs
MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
01:22MicroRNAs
MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...
01:22MicroRNAs
MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...
02:15Experimental RNAi
RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
02:30siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
02:57piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs
PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...