Abstract: Circular RNA is a recently discovered endogenous non-coding RNA, which is generated by the model of intron-pairing-driven circularization and is regulated by the relevant regulatory factors. One of the important biological functions of circular RNA is as a miRNA sponge, which makes the level of miRNA changed significantly in a short time. The circular RNA is closely related to the disease, which is a potential molecular of diagnosis and treatment. This paper deals with the three aspects of the biosynthesis and regulation of circular RNA, the biological function of circular RNA and the relationship between circular RNA and diseases.

Key words: circular RNA, non-coding RNA, intron-pairing-driven circularization, miRNA sponge