Primary Cilia
Primary cilia are present on a huge variety of mammalian cells. Increasingly, they are being shown to have important functions in sensing the environment and in cell-cell communications. This key role in signaling is important for embryonic development and cellular homeostasis. We are studying three main aspects of cilia biology. First, we are examining the role of cilia in hedgehog signaling. It has been established that several key components of the hedgehog pathway localize to cilia and that formation of cilia is required for proper signal transduction. We are trying to understand how localization of these factors to the primary cilium is regulated in response to signaling. In a related project we are studying how one particular protein in the hedgehog pathway, Smoothened, moves within the cilium. Smoothened is a seven membrane spanning G-protein coupled receptor essential for hedgehog signal transduction. We have been asking the question: does Smoothened move by intraflagellar transport or diffusion within the cilium? To address this question we are using time lapse imaging, as well as photobleaching and mathematical modeling. The third project is studying cilia movement in cultured cells. We are characterizing and quantitating the movement of 9+0 primary cilia (which are conventionally considered non-motile). We intend to identify factors that positively and negatively regulate cilia movement.
For more information, contact Carolyn Ott.
