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Related Concept Videos

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The primary cilium, made up of microtubules, acts as antennae on the cell surfaces for relaying external stimuli into the cells. These fine hair-like structures are present, generally one per cell. These are non-motile cilia in a 9+0 microtubules arrangement, where the central pair of microtubules are absent. The primary cilia arise from the basal body embedded in the cell membrane. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) carries requisite proteins from the cytoplasm to the cilium because the primary...
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Catenins are characterized by multiple binding domains and dynamic structures that allow them to function as linker proteins in cell junction complexes. All catenins, except α-catenin, contain a characteristic protein sequence called the armadillo repeat and are therefore also called armadillo proteins.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Simple Detection of Primary Cilia by Immunofluorescence
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Primary cilia signalling at a glance.

Dagmar Wachten1, Søren Tvorup Christensen2

  • 1Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany.

Journal of Cell Science
|October 29, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Primary cilia act as crucial signaling hubs in vertebrate cells, integrating diverse pathways to control cell functions and development. Defects in these essential organelles lead to various human diseases called ciliopathies.

Keywords:
DevelopmentDiseasePrimary ciliaSignalling

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • The primary cilium is a key microtubule-based organelle found in most vertebrate cells.
  • It serves as a central hub for sensing and transducing extracellular signals.
  • It plays a critical role in regulating cellular processes, tissue architecture, and organ function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight how primary cilia integrate major signaling pathways.
  • To describe the link between ciliary defects and ciliopathies.
  • To explore how dynamic changes in ciliary composition create specific signaling signatures.

Main Methods:

  • Review of key signaling pathways integrated by primary cilia.
  • Discussion of ciliopathies arising from ciliary defects.
  • Exploration of emerging insights into ciliary composition and signaling.

Main Results:

  • Primary cilia integrate Hedgehog, GPCR, TRP channel, RTK, and TGF-β superfamily signaling.
  • Ciliary structure or signaling defects cause ciliopathies, affecting multiple organs.
  • Dynamic ciliary composition generates context-specific signaling for development and homeostasis.

Conclusions:

  • Primary cilia are vital signaling integrators coordinating development and homeostasis.
  • Understanding ciliary function and defects is crucial for treating ciliopathies.
  • Dynamic regulation of ciliary composition is key to cell-type-specific signaling.