Postnatal Dynamic Ciliary ARL13B and ADCY3 Localization in the Mouse Brain.

Primary cilia are hair-like structures found on nearly all mammalian cell types, including cells in the developing and adult brain. A diverse set of receptors and signaling proteins localize within cilia to regulate many physiological and developmental pathways, including the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway. Defects in cilia structure, protein localization, and function lead to genetic disorders called ciliopathies, which present with various clinical features that include several neurodevelopmental phenotypes and hyperphagia-associated obesity.

Ciliary ARL13B prevents obesity in mice.

Cilia are near ubiquitous small, cellular appendages critical for cell-to-cell communication. As such, they are involved in diverse developmental and homeostatic processes, including energy homeostasis. ARL13B is a regulatory GTPase highly enriched in cilia.

Physiological Condition-Dependent Changes in Ciliary GPCR Localization in the Brain.

Primary cilia are cellular appendages critical for diverse types of Signaling. They are found on most cell types, including cells throughout the CNS. Cilia preferentially localize certain G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and are critical for mediating the signaling of these receptors.

Neuronal cilia in energy homeostasis.

A subset of genetic disorders termed ciliopathies are associated with obesity. The mechanisms behind cilia dysfunction and altered energy homeostasis in these syndromes are complex and likely involve deficits in both development and adult homeostasis. Interestingly, several cilia-associated gene mutations also lead to morbid obesity.

The Hedgehog Signaling Pathway is Expressed in the Adult Mouse Hypothalamus and Modulated by Fasting.

The hedgehog signaling pathway is best known for its role in developmental patterning of the neural tube and limb bud. More recently, hedgehog signaling has been recognized for its roles in growth of adult tissues and maintenance of progenitor cell niches. However, the role of hedgehog signaling in fully differentiated cells like neurons in the adult brain is less clear.

Artificial Intelligence Approaches to Assessing Primary Cilia.

Cilia are microtubule based cellular appendages that function as signaling centers for a diversity of signaling pathways in many mammalian cell types. Cilia length is highly conserved, tightly regulated, and varies between different cell types and tissues and has been implicated in directly impacting their signaling capacity. For example, cilia have been shown to alter their lengths in response to activation of ciliary G protein-coupled receptors.

A transgenic Alx4-CreER mouse to analyze anterior limb and nephric duct development.

Background: Genetic tools to study gene function and the fate of cells in the anterior limb bud are very limited.

Results: We describe a transgenic mouse line expressing CreER from the Aristaless-like 4 (Alx4) promoter that induces recombination in the anterior limb. Cre induction at embryonic day 8.