Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

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...

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

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...

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

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...

Translational Regulation

Translational Regulation

Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...

Overview of Exosomes

Overview of Exosomes

Exosomes are stable, lipid bilayer-enclosed vesicles capable of crossing biological barriers. They can carry a wide range of molecules required for intercellular communication. Once exosomes are released from the cell where they originated, they enter a recipient cell through various pathways such as fusion, receptor-mediated endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and phagocytosis.
Stahl et al. discovered exosomes in 1983, but the exosomes were initially considered waste products released from the...

RNA Interference

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Correction: Overall survival of palbociclib plus endocrine therapy in Japanese patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer in the first-or second-line setting: a multicenter observational study (P-BRIDGE study).

Breast cancer (Tokyo, Japan)·2026

Same author

Overall survival of palbociclib plus endocrine therapy in Japanese patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer in the first-or second-line setting: a multicenter observational study (P-BRIDGE study).

Breast cancer (Tokyo, Japan)·2025

Same author

Real-world progression-free survival and overall survival of palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) in Japanese patients with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer in the first-line or second-line setting: an observational study.

Breast cancer (Tokyo, Japan)·2024

Same author

Metastatic prostate cancer-derived extracellular vesicles facilitate osteoclastogenesis by transferring the CDCP1 protein.

Journal of extracellular vesicles·2023

Same author

Extracellular vesicles from mesenchymal stem cells of dental pulp and adipose tissue display distinct transcriptomic characteristics suggestive of potential therapeutic targets.

Journal of stem cells & regenerative medicine·2022

Same author

Osteoblast-derived vesicles induce a switch from bone-formation to bone-resorption in vivo.

Nature communications·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

Secretory microRNAs as a versatile communication tool.

Haruhisa Iguchi¹, Nobuyoshi Kosaka, Takahiro Ochiya

¹Section for Studies on Metastasis; National Cancer Center Research Institute; Chuo-ku, Tokyo Japan.

Communicative & Integrative Biology

|November 9, 2010

Summary

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are secreted from cells and transfer gene silencing signals between cells. This discovery supports using circulating miRNAs as disease biomarkers and highlights their role in intercellular communication.

Keywords:

exosome secretory microRNA signal network

More Related Videos

Tracking miRNA Release into Extracellular Vesicles using Flow Cytometry

Tracking miRNA Release into Extracellular Vesicles using Flow Cytometry

Published on: October 6, 2023

Fecal (micro) RNA Isolation

Fecal (micro) RNA Isolation

Published on: October 28, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

Tracking miRNA Release into Extracellular Vesicles using Flow Cytometry

Tracking miRNA Release into Extracellular Vesicles using Flow Cytometry

Published on: October 6, 2023

Fecal (micro) RNA Isolation

Fecal (micro) RNA Isolation

Published on: October 28, 2020

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Cell Biology
Biochemistry

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression.
Their role in intercellular communication is an emerging area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the secretion and intercellular transfer of miRNAs.
To explore the potential of secreted miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic agents.

Main Methods:

Investigated miRNA secretion mechanisms, focusing on exosome pathways.
Studied the transfer of secretory miR-16 into prostate cancer cells in vivo.
Analyzed the impact of transferred miRNAs on target gene expression.

Main Results:

Discovered that miRNA release is actively controlled by a ceramide-dependent, exosome-associated machinery.
Demonstrated that secretory miR-16 transfers to and suppresses target genes in recipient prostate cancer cells.
Confirmed intercellular transfer of functional miRNAs in vivo.

Conclusions:

Secreted miRNAs can function as intercellular signaling molecules, delivering gene silencing effects.
Circulating miRNAs hold promise as diagnostic biomarkers for various diseases.
Secretory miRNAs can act as translational inhibitors in recipient cells, expanding their functional repertoire.