Cilia: Tiny Cell Structures With Mighty Functions

Credit: Zvonimir Dogic, Brandeis University. Imagine an army of tiny soldiers stationed throughout your body, lining cells from your brain to every major organ system. Rather than standing at attention, this tiny force sweeps back and forth thousands of times a minute. Their synchronized action helps move debris along the ranks to the nearest opening. Other soldiers stand as sentries, detecting changes in your environment, relaying that information to your brain, and boosting your senses of taste, smell, sight, and hearing. Your brain may be the commander in chief, but these rank-and-file soldiers are made up of microscopic cell structures called cilia (cilium in singular). Here we describe these tiny but mighty cell structures in action. Brain The brain has ridges, peaks, and valleys with areas of open space in between, and cilia line those open spaces, helping to move fluid around the different brain regions. Scientists believe these cilia also have a function beyond simply transporting fluid and may help the brain interpret how the body is feeling, including sensing hunger. Someday, these cilia might even be a target for therapies, such as curbing appetite to help with weight loss. Eyes Cilia in the eye’s retina help convert light into electrical signals that are then sent to the brain. The brain sorts through these light signals, packages them, and transforms them into the images we can see. Cilia damage in the eye can lead to vis...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Cells Cellular Processes Cool Video Source Type: blogs