Life without centrioles: cilia in the spotlight.
Centrioles are critical cellular components that form the architectural core of both centrosomes and basal bodies, the nucleating structures of cilia. New work, including a study in this issue (), highlights the unexpected finding that lack of centrioles does not impede development in the fruit fly. Rather, flies reach maturity but then die because their sensory neurons lack cilia.
Badano
Jose L
JL
McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Katsanis
Nicholas
N
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002502:Centrioles / Q000502:physiology*; D002923:Cilia / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000648:ultrastructure