MicroRNA miR-16 is anti-proliferative in enterocytes and exhibits diurnal rhythmicity in intestinal crypts

This is the first report to document circadian rhythmicity of specific microRNAs in rat jejunum. Our data provide a link between the anti-proliferative microRNA miR-16 and the intestinal proliferation rhythm and point to miR-16 as an important regulator of proliferation in jejunal crypts. This function may be essential to match proliferation and absorptive capacity with nutrient availability.