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Development of microtubule capping structures in ciliated epithelial cells.
R W Portman1, E L LeCluyse, W L Dentler
1Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence 66045.
Journal of Cell Science
|February 1, 1987
Summary
Cilia cap formation begins early in growth, with mature structures appearing on short, 1.75-micron palate cilia. This study details the stages of microtubule cap development during ciliogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Microscopy
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Cilia possess capping structures at their tips during growth and maturation.
- The precise timing of microtubule cap formation during ciliogenesis has remained undetermined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and define the temporal sequence of cap structure formation in developing palate cilia.
- To correlate cap development with microtubule assembly during ciliogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Light microscopy was used to observe cilia of varying lengths.
- Detailed morphological analysis of microtubule cap structures at different developmental stages.
Main Results:
- A disk-shaped plate forms within the first micron of cilium growth.
- An asymmetrical cap structure emerges between 1.5-2.0 microns.
- Mature caps and extraciliary crowns are present by 2.0 microns.
Conclusions:
- Cilia cap formation is an early event in ciliogenesis, occurring progressively as the cilium elongates.
- The observed cap structures are integral to microtubule dynamics during cilia development.