Pancreatic Cell primary Cilia are found to be motile and Wiggle to Control Insulin Release

Good news! This is possibly a breakthrough!

"... These cilia, which are tiny hairlike organelles, were thought to be static sensors that help the pancreas manage blood glucose levels, but nonmotile cilia in general are poorly characterized in comparison with their wiggly, moving counterparts. So, [the researcher's] goal was to observe and record the distribution of these “primary” cilia within the organ’s well-defined clumps of cells, called islets. Then she saw one of them move. ...
imaged pancreatic cilia under many different conditions, observing the same motion over and over again ...
The study marks the first time scientists have suggested that pancreatic cilia—indeed any primary cilia— can move as a result of force being generated inside the structures. This active motion ... also has an important role in regulating insulin secretion. ...

 investigation by imaging primary cilia in human and mouse pancreatic islets. Each cilium is typically organized in a specific arrangement called “9+0,” where nine fused pairs of microtubules form a hollow cylinder. However, again to the scientists’ surprise, the cilia on pancreatic cells deviated from this expected arrangement and had eight outer microtubule doublets and a central microtubule doublet or singlet.

The researchers also used immunofluorescence microscopy to visualize proteins on live beta cells. They observed that the cilia contained motor proteins that are responsible for active motion in so-called motile cilia, the kind known to wiggle that are only observed in the lungs, the middle ear, and the respiratory tract. “This was again a big surprise. We thought maybe we’d find one or two [motor proteins]. We actually found a whole group of them,” ..."

From the abstract:

"Primary cilia are specialized cell-surface organelles that mediate sensory perception and, in contrast to motile cilia and flagella, are thought to lack motility function. Here, we show that primary cilia in human and mouse pancreatic islets exhibit movement that is required for glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Islet primary cilia contain motor proteins conserved from those found in classic motile cilia, and their three-dimensional motion is dynein-driven and dependent on adenosine 5′-triphosphate and glucose metabolism. Inhibition of cilia motion blocks beta cell calcium influx and insulin secretion. Human beta cells have enriched ciliary gene expression, and motile cilia genes are altered in type 2 diabetes. Our findings redefine primary cilia as dynamic structures having both sensory and motile function and establish that pancreatic islet cilia movement plays a regulatory role in insulin secretion."

Pancreatic Cell Cilia Wiggle to Control Insulin Release | The Scientist Magazine® Tiny hairlike structures on pancreatic cells have long been considered static sensors. Now, researchers say they move and help regulate insulin secretion.

Islet primary cilia motility controls insulin secretion (open access)

Fig. 1. Human islets contain motile primary cilia.