Cilium

Cilia are microscopic hair-like organelles that extend from the surface of nearly all mammalian cells. They are composed of a microtubule-based structure called the axoneme and are surrounded by plasma membrane. There are two main types: Motile cilia have a "9+2" arrangement of microtubules and function primarily in movement—such as clearing mucus from the respiratory tract or moving eggs in the fallopian tubes. Non-motile (primary) cilia, with a "9+0" arrangement, typically serve as sensory organelles that coordinate various signaling pathways essential for development and tissue homeostasis. They act as cellular antennae for mechanosensation and chemosensation. Ciliary proteins are synthesized in the cytoplasm and transported into the growing or functioning cilium via intraflagellar transport (IFT), which is critical for both assembly and maintenance[2][8]. Defects in either motile or non-motile cilia can cause ciliopathies, an expanding group of genetic diseases affecting multiple organs including kidneys, eyes, brain, liver, and reproductive system[5]. Cilia themselves are not considered therapeutic targets like receptors or enzymes; rather they are complex organelles made up of many protein components—some individual proteins within them may be drug targets but "cilia" is not itself a molecular target suitable for structured drug discovery purposes. Because “cilia” refers to an entire class of cellular structures rather than a specific molecule/receptor/protein target—and because it is not itself directly targeted by drugs—the entry is marked as incorrect for use as a canonical therapeutic target name.[3][6]

Other names

Cilia (plural)Primary ciliumMotile ciliumNon-motile ciliumPrimary ciliaMotile cilia