A new 'Linc' between noncoding RNAs and blood development.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a large and diverse class of functional RNAs that regulate important biological processes, including cell division, survival, and differentiation. In this issue of Genes & Development, Hu and colleagues (2573-2578) report the discovery of LincRNA erythroid prosurvival (LincRNA-EPS), a murine lncRNA that facilitates red blood cell formation (erythropoiesis) by suppressing apoptosis. This finding expands the repertoire of lncRNA functions and illustrates a novel genetic pathway that potentially can be exploited for treating anemias.