About this Research Topic
Eukaryotic cilia and flagella are organelles that protrude from the surface of cells and are involved in a multitude of biological functions including sensory, motility, and movement of extracellular fluids. The ciliary architecture is highly conserved from single-celled protists to humans and consists of a core microtubule-based structure called the axoneme. These organelles are classified into two main categories: motile and immotile. Immotile cilia (primary cilia) are sensory in nature and play key roles in embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. Motile cilia and flagella perform both sensory and motile functions.
The functional importance of cilia and flagella is revealed by the highly conserved nature of these organelles as they are found on a wide range of organisms from single-celled protists to humans. In humans, cilia and flagella are present on most cell types in the adult body and present in embryonic tissues that are critical for normal development. Thus, defects in cilia and flagella assembly or function manifest with an impressive diversity of pathologies and an often-complex genetic etiology. The high degree of conservation coupled with the ever-expanding list of human diseases rooted in ciliary dysfunction (ciliopathies) make the study of these organelles a high priority.
The importance of cilia and flagella for normal cell function across the evolutionary spectrum demands a precise understanding of cilia and flagella biology. The use of model organisms, together with cultured cells and organoids, which rely on the high degree of molecular and structural conservation of cilia and flagella, has been pivotal in expanding our understanding of cilia and flagella organelles. Seminal studies have revealed exquisite details of axonemal architecture using high-resolution microscopy methods enabling structure-function correlations in conjunction with cell biological, genetic, pharmacological, and developmental approaches.
The editors welcome various article types (including Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Methods, Perspectives, Reviews, and Mini-Reviews) that highlight the molecular composition, assembly, sensory, and motile functions of cilia and flagella and the pivotal roles that they play in development and normal cell and tissue physiology using a wide range of model organisms and culture systems.
The functional importance of cilia and flagella is revealed by the highly conserved nature of these organelles as they are found on a wide range of organisms from single-celled protists to humans. In humans, cilia and flagella are present on most cell types in the adult body and present in embryonic tissues that are critical for normal development. Thus, defects in cilia and flagella assembly or function manifest with an impressive diversity of pathologies and an often-complex genetic etiology. The high degree of conservation coupled with the ever-expanding list of human diseases rooted in ciliary dysfunction (ciliopathies) make the study of these organelles a high priority.
The importance of cilia and flagella for normal cell function across the evolutionary spectrum demands a precise understanding of cilia and flagella biology. The use of model organisms, together with cultured cells and organoids, which rely on the high degree of molecular and structural conservation of cilia and flagella, has been pivotal in expanding our understanding of cilia and flagella organelles. Seminal studies have revealed exquisite details of axonemal architecture using high-resolution microscopy methods enabling structure-function correlations in conjunction with cell biological, genetic, pharmacological, and developmental approaches.
The editors welcome various article types (including Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Methods, Perspectives, Reviews, and Mini-Reviews) that highlight the molecular composition, assembly, sensory, and motile functions of cilia and flagella and the pivotal roles that they play in development and normal cell and tissue physiology using a wide range of model organisms and culture systems.
Keywords: cell proliferation
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