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Planar Polarity of Motile Cilia
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.521.4
Subject(s) - cilium , motile cilium , polarity (international relations) , cell polarity , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , xenopus , orientation (vector space) , biophysics , anatomy , neuroscience , cell , genetics , biochemistry , geometry , mathematics , gene
The ability of ciliated epithelia to generate directed fluid flow is a critical aspect of diverse developmental and physiological processes, including neuroblast migration and proper respiratory function. To achieve directed flow, each ciliated cell needs to generate 100–200 cilia that are coordinately polarized along a common axis both within and between cells. Here we use both Electron Microscopy and Confocal Light Microscopy to assay cilia orientation and report a multi‐step developmental and physical model for how motile cilia in the Xenopus larval skin acquire planar polarity. In this model, patterning signals initiate a weak polar bias in cilia orientation. This bias allows cilia to generate a weakly directed flow that establishes a positive feedback loop in which cilia both generate flow and respond to flow by refining their orientation. This feedback loop continues until precise cilia polarity is achieved and vigorous fluid flow is established.