biostudies-literatureSpurgin SAmerican Thoracic SocietyPediatric Scientist Development ProgramNICHD NIH HHSFondation LeducqNHLBI NIH HHSNational Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteNCI NIH HHSNational Institute of General Medical SciencesNIGMS NIH HHSNIH HHS1187-1202https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12353473biostudies-literatureUnknown254(11)Cilia are specialized structures found on a variety of mammalian cells, with variable roles in the transduction of mechanical and biological signals (by primary cilia, PC), as well as in the generation of fluid flow (by motile cilia). Their critical role in the establishment of a left-right axis in early development is well described, as well as in the defense immune function of multiciliated upper airway epithelium. By contrast, detailed analysis of the ciliary status of specific cell types during organogenesis and postnatal development has received less attention. In this study, we investigate the progression of ciliary status within the endothelium and mesenchyme of the lung. Remarkably, we find that pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs) lack PC at all stages of development, except in low numbers in the proximal portions of older pulmonary arteries. Mesenchymal cells, by contrast, widely exhibit PC in early development, and a large subset of PDGFRα+ fibroblasts maintain PC into adulthood. The dynamic and differential ciliation of multiple cellular populations in the developing lung both challenges prior assertions that PC are found on all cells and highlights a need to understand their spatiotemporal functions.Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of AnatomistsDynamics of primary cilia in endothelial and mesenchymal cells throughout mouse lung development.PMC12353473R00HL141684R35 HL140014K12 HD0008503K12HD000850-38S1R01 HL113498R35 GM144136R00 HL14168423-24PACDA12S10 OD021685R35HL140014HL113498R01 HL126518N35GM1194611R35GM14413621CVD03P30 CA06055323‐24PACDA123K12HD000850‐38S1R35 GM119461Spurgin SChaudhry FNMichki SNIruela-Arispe MLNguimtsop AMZepp JAMukhopadhyay SCleaver OSalvador JfalseDynamics of primary cilia in endothelial and mesenchymal cells throughout mouse lung development.Cilia are specialized structures found on a variety of mammalian cells, with variable roles in the transduction of mechanical and biological signals (by primary cilia, PC), as well as in the generation of fluid flow (by motile cilia). Their critical role in the establishment of a left-right axis in early development is well described, as well as in the defense immune function of multiciliated upper airway epithelium. By contrast, detailed analysis of the ciliary status of specific cell types during organogenesis and postnatal development has received less attention. In this study, we investigate the progression of ciliary status within the endothelium and mesenchyme of the lung. Remarkably, we find that pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs) lack PC at all stages of development, except in low numbers in the proximal portions of older pulmonary arteries. Mesenchymal cells, by contrast, widely exhibit PC in early development, and a large subset of PDGFRα+ fibroblasts maintain PC into adulthood. The dynamic and differential ciliation of multiple cellular populations in the developing lung both challenges prior assertions that PC are found on all cells and highlights a need to understand their spatiotemporal functions.2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Nov2026-06-05T14:29:02.153Z2026-05-17T03:12:25.864ZS-EPMC123534734005593510.1002/dvdy.70008