微小RNA(miRNA)是一类内源性的小分子非编码单链RNA,通过与mRNA的3′非编码区(3′UTR)完全或不完全互补配对结合,引起靶mRNA的降解或翻译抑制,从而在转录后水平对靶基因进行负调控。miRNA参与细胞的分化、发育、增殖、死亡等生命活动中的一系列重要进程,因此,miRNA被应用于许多疾病发病机制探讨的研究。早期的学者们主要集中 MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous, small, non-coding single-stranded RNAs that cause degradation or translational inhibition of a target mRNA through complete or incomplete complementary paired binding to the 3’UTR of the mRNA , Thereby negatively regulating the target gene at post-transcriptional level. MiRNAs are involved in a series of important processes in the life activities such as differentiation, development, proliferation and death of cells. Therefore, miRNAs are used in the research of pathogenesis of many diseases. Early scholars mainly concentrated