Transcriptome of pig whole blood microRNAs provides insight into immune system development

Blood is body fluid that contains multiple types of immune cells. Gene expression profiles of blood can reflect physiopathological status of the immune system. This study was to explore the dynamic expression of whole blood microRNAs across different developmental stages, and how such differential expression relates to immune system development. Overall design: Peripheral blood samples at five different developmental stages (the 0-day newborn pigs, the 30-day weaning pigs, the 60-day childhood pigs, the 180-day and the 360-day pigs with sexual maturity) were utilized to construct 15 microRNA libraries with three biological replicates for each stage.