Multicilin promotes centriole assembly and ciliogenesis during multiciliate cell differentiation.

ABSTRACT: Multiciliate cells function prominently in the respiratory system, brain ependyma and female reproductive tract to produce vigorous fluid flow along epithelial surfaces. These specialized cells form during development when epithelial progenitors undergo an unusual form of ciliogenesis, in which they assemble and project hundreds of motile cilia. Notch inhibits multiciliate cell formation in diverse epithelia, but how progenitors overcome lateral inhibition and initiate multiciliate cell differentiation is unknown. Here we identify a coiled-coil protein, termed multicilin, which is regulated by Notch and highly expressed in developing epithelia where multiciliate cells form. Inhibiting multicilin function specifically blocks multiciliate cell formation in Xenopus skin and kidney, whereas ec

SUBMITTER: Stubbs JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3329891 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature