Discovery of novel microRNAs in rat kidney using microarray analyses

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate a variety of biological processes. In the last version of the miRBase database (Release 17), 720 mouse microRNAs are accompanied by only 408 rat microRNAs. Given the importance of rat as a model organism, we used next generation sequencing and microarray technologies to discover novel microRNAs in rat kidneys.