Two studies have applied a mechanical stimulus directly to a cilium, independent of a chemical signal, and demonstrated that force-based bending of a single nodal axoneme is sufficient to induce intraciliary Ca2+ flux in a PKD2-dependent manner, which propagates to drive asymmetric gene expression.
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Acknowledgements
P.M. is supported by the UKRI MRC (MC_U_12018/26) and from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 866355).
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Wachten, D., Mill, P. The cilia mechanosensation debate gets (bio)physical. Nat Rev Nephrol 19, 279–280 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41581-023-00701-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41581-023-00701-4