Ciliogenesis articles from across Nature Portfolio

Cilia are microtubule-based cell projections that provide a unique environment with precise protein, lipid and second messenger concentrations, thereby creating specialized signalling hubs. This Review discusses recent multidisciplinary, mechanistic insights into cilia-based signalling pathways during development and homeostasis.

Here the authors show that epigenetic regulation through the histone acetyltransferase MOF and the acetylation of histone H4 lysine 16 affect essential functions in the mitochondria and primary cilia. This regulation is important to promote epidermal differentiation and hair follicle formation.

Primary cilia are cellular structures that have important functions in development and disease. The suppression of multiciliate differentiation of choroid plexus precursors, and maintenance of a single primary cilium by Notch1, is now shown to be involved in choroid plexus tumour formation.

The protrusion of cilia into extracellular space provides cells with sensors of localized environmental cues that include fluid flow, mechanical force and important growth factors such as Hedgehog. Live imaging has now captured the initial appearance of cilia during embryogenesis, and defined lineage-specific determinants that restrict extra-embryonal ciliogenesis.