title: Neuron's little helper: The role of primary cilia in neurogenesis.
abstract: The generation of new neurons involves a great variety of cell-extrinsic and cell-intrinsic signals. The primary cilium, long regarded as an "evolutionary vestige," has emerged as an essential signaling hub in many cells, including neural progenitors and differentiating neurons. Most progenitors harbor an apically-localized primary cilium, which is assembled and disassembled following the cell cycle, while the presence, position and length of this organelle appears to be even more variable in differentiating neurons. One of the main extracellular cues acting through the cilium is Sonic Hedgehog, which modulates spatial patterning, the progression of the cell cycle and the timing of neurogenesis. Other extracellular signals appear to bind to cilia-localized receptors and affect processes such as dendritogenesis. All the observed dynamics, as well as the many signaling pathways depending on cilia, indicate this organelle as an important structure involved in neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology of Neural Development Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay; Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lepanto
authors.affiliation: Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo , Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Badano
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology of Neural Development Laboratory, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay; Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Flavio R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Zolessi
keywords: Hedgehog; neuroepithelium; neurogenesis; neuronal differentiation; neuronal migration; primary cilia