MicroRNA-based system in stem cell reprogramming; differentiation/dedifferentiation

•MicroRNA profile and gene expression pattern in human embryonic stem cells.•MicroRNAs essential in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal vs. differentiation•Most hESCs-specific miR-302 activates the genes required for cell cycle progression and somatic cell reprogramming.•MicroRNAs keep ESC pluripotency by both extrinsic signaling pathways and intrinsic gene regulatory mechanisms.•Association of DNA/histone modifications with microRNAs as regulatory epigenetic networks. Stem cells (SCs) have self-renew ability and give rise to committed progenitors of a single or multiple lineages. Elucidating the genetic circuits that govern SCs to self-renew and to differentiate is essential to understand the roles of SCs and promise of these cells in regenerative medicine. MicroRNAs are widespread agents playing critical roles in regulatory networks of transcriptional expression and have been strongly linked with SCs for simultaneous maintenance of pluripotency properties such as self-renewal. This review aims to provide state-of-the-art presentations on microRNA-dependent molecular mechanisms contribute to the maintenance of pluripotency. Understanding the microRNA signature interactions, in conjunction with cell signaling, is critical for development of improved strategies to reprogram differentiated cells or direct differentiation of pluripotent cells.