Definition of Micro-RNA
Micro-RNA: A tiny piece of RNA, about 21 to 23 bases in length, that binds to matching pieces of messenger RNA to make it double-stranded and decrease the production of the corresponding protein. Micro-RNA's were first discovered in the roundworm C. elegans in the early 1990s and are now known in many species, including humans. Abbreviated miRNA.
Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionaryhttp://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=22224
Last Editorial Review: 6/14/2012
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