Spotlight issue: MicroRNAs in the microcirculation--from cellular mechanisms to clinical markers.

This spotlight issue of Microcirculation contains four state-of-the-art review articles on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of endogenous, highly conserved, small, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post transcriptional level, and can act as key regulators of cellular mechanisms within the microcirculation. The expert reviews address issues, such as the role of miRNAs in determining endothelial cell differentiation and lineage commitment, the physiological role of miRNAs as critical modulators of endothelial cell proliferation, apoptosis and in angiogenesis, and their aberrant expression in different vascular disorders. The reviews also explore the prognostic value of miRNAs in cardiovascular disease and how they may serve both as a therapeutic target and clinical biomarker in the future. This cutting edge edition of the journal Microcirculation highlights the progress that has been made in this new and challenging research area.