Li Jin, Huang Shiqin, Chen Hao
Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Cell Fate Regulation and Diseases, GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China.
Biology (Basel). 2025 May 8;14(5):521. doi: 10.3390/biology14050521.
Cilia are evolutionarily conserved, microtubule-based organelles characterized by their ultrastructures and diverse functional roles, including developmental signaling, mechanosensation, and fluid propulsion. They are widely distributed across cell surfaces and play crucial roles in cell cycle regulation and tissue homeostasis. Despite advances in studying their molecular regulation and functions, demonstrating the precise ultrastructure of cilia remains a challenge. Recent novel microscopy techniques, such as super-resolution microscopy and volume electron microscopy, are revolutionizing our understanding of their architecture and mechanochemical signaling. By integrating findings from different methodologies, this review highlights how these advances bridge basic research and clinical applications and provide a comprehensive understanding of the structural organization, functional mechanisms, and dynamic changes of cilia.
纤毛是进化上保守的、基于微管的细胞器，其特征在于超微结构和多种功能作用，包括发育信号传导、机械传感和流体推进。它们广泛分布于细胞表面，在细胞周期调控和组织稳态中发挥关键作用。尽管在研究其分子调控和功能方面取得了进展，但展示纤毛精确的超微结构仍然是一项挑战。最近的新型显微镜技术，如超分辨率显微镜和体积电子显微镜，正在彻底改变我们对其结构和机械化学信号传导的理解。通过整合不同方法的研究结果，本综述强调了这些进展如何在基础研究和临床应用之间架起桥梁，并提供对纤毛的结构组织、功能机制和动态变化的全面理解。
