Cilia arose early during eukaryotic evolution, and their structural components are highly conserved from the simplest protists to complex metazoan species. In recent years, the role of cilia in the ontogeny of vertebrate organs has received increasing attention due to a staggering correlation between human disease and dysfunctional cilia. In particular, the presence of cilia in both the developing and mature kidney has become a deep area of research due to ciliopathies common to the kidney, such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Interestingly, mutations in genes encoding proteins that localize to the cilia cause similar cystic phenotypes in kidneys of various vertebrates, suggesting an essential role for cilia in kidney organogenesis and homeostasis as well. Importantly, the genes so far identified in kidney disease have conserved functions across species, whose kidneys include both primary and motile cilia. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive description of cilia and their role in kidney development, as well as highlight the usefulness of the zebrafish embryonic kidney as a model to further understand the function of cilia in kidney health.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dvg.22957 | DOI Listing |
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Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) and Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47-49, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Electronic address:
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Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Center for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address:
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Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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Biorobotics Laboratory, Soft Robotics Research Center, Institute of Advanced Machines and Design, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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