On June 23, Jing Hughes, MD, PhD and collaborator had their work titled “Cilia Action in Islets: Lessons From Mouse Models” published in “Frontiers in Endocrinology.”
Primary cilia are rod-like sensors that “exist on all major islet endocrine cell types and transduce a variety of external cues, while dysregulation of cilia function contributes to the development of diabetes.”
The role of islet primary cilia has been studied through genetic deletion, targeting specific components of cilia. This review discusses the experimental models of islet cilia and the current understanding of celia regulation of islet hormone secretion. Including future research directions that further define cilia action in distinct groups of islet cells. Such as, paracrine and juxtacrine regulation, GPCR signaling, and endocrine-exocrine crosstalk.
In consensus, mouse models show that “pancreatic cilia perturbation can cause endocrine and exocrine defects that are relevant to human disease.”