Role of MicroRNA 21 in Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) Differentiation: A Powerful Biomarker in MSCs Derived Cells

The significant role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in stem cell development has been expansively discussed in recent publications and they are noticed to be involved in post transcriptional regulation of gene expression by its affinity towards the 3′UTR of target mRNA. Since the expression of miR-21 was high in cells that were derived from MSCs, recent evidence indicates that miR-21 plays a vital role in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) differentiation. Despite the fact that miR-21 can be considered as a powerful biomarker for MSCs differentiation, the number of studies related to the above scenario is very limited. This review highlights the recent publications related to the importance of miR-21 specifically in differentiation of MSCs.