MicroRNA profiling methods applied to recent studies of fetal mouse submandibular gland development

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small single-stranded RNA molecules that are not translated into protein. Recent technological advances in miRNA expression analysis have made it easy for investigators to explore the miRNA field. However, the platforms use different technologies and may generate qualitatively or quantitatively different results. Thus, the most appropriate profiling method should be selected carefully and consider the specific purpose of the experiment. Several studies have shown that various miRNAs are expressed and functional in the mouse submandibular gland (SMG) during fetal development. Recent studies in this area have used microarray, qPCR-array, and sequencing methods to examine changes in miRNA expression. This review focuses on the key differences among the miRNA methods applied in the recent studies and also summarizes our current knowledge of miRNA function in SMG development.