International Journal of Marine Science, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 256-265 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ijms 256 Review Article Open Access Molecular Mechanisms of Axis Development: Insights from Cilia Biology Jingya Li, Qibin Xu Animal Science Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding author: qibin.xu@cuixi.org International Journal of Marine Science, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, doi: 10.5376/ijms.2024.14.0029 Received: 06 Jun., 2024 Accepted: 20 Jul., 2024 Published: 30 Jul, 2024 Copyright © 2024 Li and Xu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproductio4n in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li J.Y., and Xu Q.B., 2024,Molecular mechanisms of axis development: insights from cilia biology, International Journal of Marine Science, 14(4): 256-265 (doi: 10.5376/ijms.2024.14.0029) Abstract Axis development is a critical biological process in the development of multicellular organisms, with cilia playing an important role. Cilia are small hair-like structures on the cell surface that are involved in various cellular activities, including signal transduction, cell movement, and sensing environmental signals. Studies have shown that cilia play a crucial regulatory role in the formation of the left-right and anterior-posterior axes by modulating morphogen gradients and signaling pathways such as Nodal, Wnt, and Hedgehog, thereby influencing gene expression and cell fate determination. This research systematically reviews the molecular mechanisms of cilia in axis development, exploring their specific roles in left-right asymmetry and anterior-posterior patterning, and analyzing related key genes and proteins. Additionally, the study introduces experimental models and techniques used in cilia research, discusses the impact of cilia dysfunction (ciliopathies) on developmental defects and their genetic basis. By summarizing current research progress and existing technical challenges, this research aims to provide guidance for future studies, promoting further breakthroughs in developmental biology and clinical treatment. KeywordsAxis development; Cilia; Signaling pathways; Left-right asymmetry; Ciliopathies 1 Introduction Axis development is a fundamental process in embryogenesis that establishes the spatial organization of the body plan, including the formation of the anterior-posterior, dorsal-ventral, and left-right axes, which are crucial for the proper development of tissues and organs. In vertebrates, axis specification is initiated through the interaction of various signaling pathways, such as Wnt, TGF-β, and FGF, which regulate gene expression to define body axes (Ro et al., 2015), In zebrafish, axis specification begins during oogenesis and relies on the formation of cytoplasmic domains within the oocyte, essential for establishing the embryonic coordinate system (Fuentes et al., 2020), In plants, axis formation involves cytoskeletal reorganization and the establishment of the apical-basal axis during early embryogenesis (Ueda and Berger, 2019). Cilia are microtubule-based organelles that project from the surface of most vertebrate cells and play a critical role in sensing and transmitting extracellular signals. Primary cilia, in particular, are involved in coordinating several key signaling pathways, such as Hedgehog (HH), Wnt, and TGF-β/BMP, which are essential for cell fate determination and tissue patterning during development, The Reissner fiber, a component of the cerebrospinal fluid, has been shown to be crucial for body axis morphogenesis in zebrafish, highlighting the role of cilia in axis development (Cantaut-Belarif et al., 2018), Defects in ciliary function can lead to a range of developmental disorders and diseases, collectively known as ciliopathies, affecting multiple tissues and organs (Anvarian et al., 2019). This study will synthesize findings from various research to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which cilia contribute to axis development. By integrating data from different studies, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of how ciliary signaling pathways regulate the establishment and patterning of body axes. The study will also explore the implications of ciliary dysfunction in developmental disorders and identify potential therapeutic targets for ciliopathies. Through this analysis, we hope to advance the current knowledge of cilia biology and its critical role in developmental processes.
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