Hedgehog signaling and the primary cilium: implications for spatial and temporal constraints on signaling

Development. 2021 May 1;148(9):dev195552. doi: 10.1242/dev.195552. Epub 2021 Apr 29.

Abstract

The mechanisms of vertebrate Hedgehog signaling are linked to the biology of the primary cilium, an antenna-like organelle that projects from the surface of most vertebrate cell types. Although the advantages of restricting signal transduction to cilia are often noted, the constraints imposed are less frequently considered, and yet they are central to how Hedgehog signaling operates in developing tissues. In this Review, we synthesize current understanding of Hedgehog signal transduction, ligand secretion and transport, and cilia dynamics to explore the temporal and spatial constraints imposed by the primary cilium on Hedgehog signaling in vivo.

Keywords: Cell cycle; Cilia; Hedgehog; Signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cilia / metabolism*
  • Hedgehog Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Vertebrates

Substances

  • Hedgehog Proteins