AUTHOR=Ã…kerblom Malin, Sachdeva Rohit, Jakobsson Johan TITLE=Functional Studies of microRNAs in Neural Stem Cells: Problems and Perspectives JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience VOLUME=6 YEAR=2012 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2012.00014 DOI=10.3389/fnins.2012.00014 ISSN=1662-453X ABSTRACT=In adult mammals, neural stem cells (NSCs) are found in two niches of the brain; the subventricular zone by the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus. Neurogenesis is a complex process that is tightly controlled on a molecular level. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated to play a central role in the regulation of NCSs. miRNAs are small, endogenously expressed RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. However, functional studies of miRNAs are complicated due to current technical limitations. In this review we describe recent findings about miRNAs in NSCs looking closely at miR-124, miR-9, and let-7. In addition, we highlight technical strategies used to investigate miRNA function, accentuating limitations, and potentials.