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Updated: May 22, 2025

Immunostaining to Visualize Murine Enteric Nervous System Development
07:54

Immunostaining to Visualize Murine Enteric Nervous System Development

Published on: April 29, 2015

11.3K

MicroRNA regulation of enteric nervous system development and disease

Amy Marie Holland1, Reindert Jehoul2, Jorunn Vranken2

  • 1Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Department of Pathology, GROW - Research Institute for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Trends in Neurosciences
|March 15, 2025
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial for the development of the enteric nervous system (ENS). Dysregulation of these molecules is linked to enteric neuropathies, offering potential therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • The enteric nervous system (ENS) is vital for digestive function and overall health.
  • ENS dysfunction contributes to various gastrointestinal disorders.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators in ENS development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of miRNAs in ENS development and function.
  • To explore miRNA involvement in congenital and acquired enteric neuropathies.
  • To highlight miRNAs as potential therapeutic targets.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of miRNA regulation in ENS ontogeny.
  • Analysis of specific miRNAs implicated in enteric neuropathies.
  • Delineation of miRNA-mediated disease mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Specific miRNAs play critical roles in ENS development.
  • miRNA dysregulation is associated with Hirschsprung's disease, achalasia, and other neuropathies.
  • miRNA-mediated mechanisms are crucial for ENS homeostasis.

Conclusions:

  • miRNAs are essential for proper ENS development and function.
  • Aberrant miRNA activity contributes to enteric neuropathies.
  • Targeting miRNAs holds promise for treating gastrointestinal disorders.
Keywords:
Hirschsprung’s diseaseepigeneticsgastrointestinalgutneural crest cellsnoncoding RNA

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