Direct, Electronic MicroRNA Detection for the Rapid Determination of Differential Expression Profiles

摘要

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an emerging class of diagnostic markers that can signify the presence of disease and be used to predict its course. Indeed, miRNAs are now known to be involved in tumor metastasis, stem-cell differentiation and renewal, and viral replication. The analysis of the intracellular levels of miRNAs is challenging, however, because their short lengths, low abundances, and high levels of sequence similarity present obstacles in the use of conventional analytical methods.