Microtubules enable the planar cell polarity of airway cilia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Airway cilia must be physically oriented along the longitudinal tissue axis for concerted, directional motility that is essential for proper mucociliary clearance.

Results

We show that planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling specifies directionality and orients respiratory cilia. Within all airway epithelial cells, a conserved set of PCP proteins shows interdependent, asymmetric junctional localization; nonautonomous signaling coordinates polarization between cells; and a polarized microtubule (MT) network is likely required for asymmetric PCP protein localization. We find that basal bodies dock after polarity of PCP proteins is established and are polarized nearly simultaneously, and that refinement of basal body/cilium orientation continues during airway epithelial

SUBMITTER: Vladar EK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3518597 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature