Primary Cilia: The New Face of Craniofacial Research

• Published in: Biomolecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 12; no. 12; p. 1724
• Main Author: Moore, Emily R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 22.11.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Cilia; Cilia - metabolism; Cilia and ciliary motion; ciliopathies; cleft lip; cleft palate; Craniofacial Abnormalities; Craniofacial growth; Cysts; dental pulp stem cells; External stimuli; Humans; Intracellular signalling; Kidney; Kidney diseases; Long bone; Mutation; odontoblasts; Patients; Physiological aspects; primary cilia; Proteins; Review; Signal Transduction; Teeth; United States; cleft lip; Wnt signaling; ciliopathies; primary cilia; calcium signaling; odontoblasts; cleft palate; Hh signaling; neurons; dental pulp stem cells
• ISSN: 2218-273X; 2218-273X
• DOI: 10.3390/biom12121724

The primary cilium is a solitary, sensory organelle that extends from the surface of nearly every vertebrate cell, including craniofacial cells. This organelle converts chemical and physical external stimuli into intracellular signaling cascades and mediates several well-known signaling pathways simultaneously. Thus, the primary cilium is considered a cellular signaling nexus and amplifier. Primary cilia dysfunction directly results in a collection of diseases and syndromes that typically affect multiple organ systems, including the face and teeth. Despite this direct connection, primary cilia are largely unexplored in craniofacial research. In this review, I briefly summarize craniofacial abnormalities tied to the primary cilium and examine the existing information on primary cilia in craniofacial development and repair. I close with a discussion on preliminary studies that motivate future areas of exploration that are further supported by studies performed in long bone and kidney cells.