What are the applications of microRNAs (MiRNA)?

microRNA mimics and inhibitors are used to study how specific microRNAs affect cells. By adding mimics, researchers can increase the levels of a microRNA, while using inhibitors decreases its levels. This helps in observing changes in cell behavior and characteristics. These tools can also be combined with techniques that analyze gene expression to find out which genes are influenced by specific microRNAs. Another application involves the use of these methods to explore how miRNAs are involved in various diseases. By changing miRNA levels, researchers can see how these changes impact disease progressions. The information gained from these studies can lead to the development of new treatments.