Abstract
During skeletal development, mesenchyme-derived progenitor cells proliferate and differentiate into bone- and cartilage-forming cells. microRNAs (miRNAs) appear to play important regulatory roles in this process, as demonstrated by the diverse abnormalities caused by miRNA manipulation in skeletal cells. Understanding the specific roles of individual miRNAs in skeletal cells will be critical for the development of miRNA-based treatments for skeletal diseases. Several animal studies provide evidence that miRNAs or their inhibitors can be used for the treatment of skeletal conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis. miRNA mimics can elevate the expression of beneficial miRNAs when necessary, whereas miRNA inhibitors (antisense oligonucleotides, or ASOs) can block the activity of disease-promoting miRNAs through complementary base pairing. Several modifications of ASOs, such as locked nucleic acids (LNAs), have been devised to improve their stability, specificity, and delivery efficiency in clinical use.