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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Simple Detection of Primary Cilia by Immunofluorescence
Published on: May 15, 2020
Sensory reception is an attribute of both primary cilia and motile cilia
1Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0732, USA. rab4m@virginia.edu
Abstract:
A recent cluster of papers has shown that motile cilia in the respiratory and reproductive tracts of humans and other mammals can exhibit sensory functions, a function previously attributed primarily to non-motile primary cilia. This leads to a new paradigm that all cilia and flagella (both motile and primary) can mediate sensory functions. However, examination of the literature shows that evidence of sensory functions of motile cilia and flagella is widespread in studies of invertebrates, and extends as back as far as 1899. In this Opinion article, I review the recent and historical findings that motile cilia have a variety of sensory functions, and discuss how this concept has in fact been evolving for the past century.
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