Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 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
481
microRNAs as cancer biomarkers
Kjersti Flatmark1,2,3, Eirik Høye2, Bastian Fromm2
1a Department of Gastroenterological Surgery , Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway ;
Summary
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial gene regulators and cancer players. Despite their potential as cancer biomarkers due to stability and detectability, challenges remain for clinical application.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key gene regulators discovered in 1993.
- miRNAs are implicated in biological processes and human diseases, notably cancer.
- Specific deregulation of miRNAs is observed in pathogenic cancer development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of miRNAs as cancer biomarkers.
- To discuss the challenges hindering the clinical use of miRNAs in cancer diagnostics.
- To identify pathways for establishing miRNAs as reliable cancer biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of miRNA research in cancer.
- Analysis of miRNA properties relevant to biomarker applications.
- Discussion of current limitations and future directions.
Main Results:
- miRNAs exhibit chemical stability and sensitive detection methods.
- miRNAs can be extracted from various clinical samples (tissues, fluids).
- No miRNA has yet achieved practical clinical relevance as a cancer biomarker.
Conclusions:
- miRNAs possess desirable characteristics for cancer biomarker development.
- Overcoming current shortfalls is essential for clinical translation.
- Further research is needed to establish miRNAs as reliable cancer biomarkers.
Related Concept Videos
01:22MicroRNAs
4.2K
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...
4.2K
01:22MicroRNAs
24.5K
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...
24.5K
02:39lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
10.1K
In humans, more than 80% of the genome gets transcribed. However, only around 2% of the genome codes for proteins. The remaining part produces non-coding RNAs which includes ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, telomerase RNAs, and regulatory RNAs, among other types. A large number of regulatory non-coding RNAs have been classified into two groups depending upon their length – small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA, which are less than 200 nucleotides in length, and long non-coding RNA...
10.1K