MicroRNAs (miRNAs), endogenous noncoding regulatory mRNAs of - nucleotides, have rapidly emerged as the central players in gene expression regulation. Owing to their ever-increasing implications in the control of various biological and pathological processes, miRNAs have now been considered novel biomarkers of various human diseases including, cancer, viral disease, cardiov- cular disorders, metabolic disturbances, etc. Particular expression pro?les have been associated with particular pathological states. Expression pro?ling of miR- NAs have therefore become extremely important not only for fundamentalists but also for clinicians. However, the methodologies used for detecting protein-coding mRNAs cannot be directly applied to miRNAs because of their small size. Over the past years, researchers have made great efforts to developing techniques suitable for miRNA detection and quanti?cation; a wide spectrum of creative and inno- tive techniques (more than 30 different methods) have been invented and validated. It has come to the time now to summarize these methods and present them in an orderly manner for better understanding and utilization of these methods to miRNA research and applications. In particular, the development of methods for quantifying circulating miRNAs opens up a fascinating opportunity for realizing miRNA as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of human disease. A book on this subject may help boosting up the passion of researchers to further improve the existing techniques and develop more new methods to ?t to new application needs. These considerations prompted us and urged us to undertake the work: writing a book focusing on miRNA expression detection methods.

General Remarks

Detection, Profiling, and Quantification of miRNA Expression
miRNA Microarray Methods
Microarray and Its Variants for miRNA Profiling
Northern Blotting Methods
Northern Blotting and Its Variants for Detecting Expression and Analyzing Tissue Distribution of miRNAs
In Situ Hybridization Methods
In Situ Hybridization and Its Variants for Detecting Expression and Analyzing Cellular Distribution of miRNAs
Real-Time RT-PCR Methods
End-Point Stem-Loop Real-Time RT-PCR for miRNA Quantification
miR-Q RT-PCR for miRNA Quantification
Poly(A)-Tailed Universal Reverse Transcription
Multiplexing RT-PCR for High-Throughput miRNA Profiling
miRNA Amplification Profiling (mRAP)
Cloning Methods
miRNA Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (miRAGE or SAGE)
Nanoparticle Methods
Electrocatalytic Nanoparticle Tags Technique for High-Sensitivity miRNA Expression Analysis
Nanoparticle-Amplified SPR Imaging for High-Sensitivity miRNA Profiling
Conducting Polymer Nanowires Technique for High-Sensitivity miRNA Expression Analysis
Gold Nanoparticle Probe Method for miRNA Quantification
Other Methods
Splinted Ligation Method
Padlock-Probes and Rolling-Circle Amplification
Invader Assay
Single Molecule Method
Enzymatic Method
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Method
RAKE Assay
Bead-Based Flow Cytometric miRNA Expression Profiling
Bioluminescence miRNA Detection Method
Molecular Beacon Method
Ribozyme Method
Electrocatalytic Moiety Labeling Technique for High-Sensitivity miRNA Expression Analysis
Circulating miRNA Detection Methods
Serum and Plasma miRNA Detection
miRNA Detection from Peripheral Blood Microvesicles
Detection of Placental miRNAs in Maternal Plasma
Single-cell miRNA Detection Methods
Quantitative LNA-ELF-FISH Method for miRNA Detection in Single Mammalian Cell
Single Cell Stem-Looped Real-Time PCR
miRNA Function-Reporter Expression Assay
Whole Mount In Situ Analysis
Whole Mount In Situ Hybridization (WM-ISH) for miRNA Expression Profiling During Vertebrate Development.