Mesenchymal stem cells are directed towards the osteoblast lineage and bone cell formation, regulated at transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational levels by various signaling pathways and transcription factors. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNA strands that regulate protein synthesis by binding to mRNA and inhibiting translation. The expression of many microRNAs have been shown to be modulated during osteoblast differentiation. We observed that expression of miR-148b, miR-181b, and miR-181c are upregulated during osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3 cells. We found that miR-181b and miR-181c induce the expression of differentiation markers and support osteoblast differentiation, possibly by targeting the inhibitors of differentiation such as FGF21, Bcl2, Smad4 and Nlk.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Cotnoir, Daniel

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042612-151235

Advisor

• Heilman, Destin

Year

• 2012

Sponsor

• UMass Medical School

Date created

• 2012-04-26

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biochemistry

Rights statement

• In Copyright