Building the right centriole for each cell type
The centriole is a multifunctional structure that organizes centrosomes and cilia and is important for cell signaling, cell cycle progression, polarity, and motility. Defects in centriole number and structure are associated with human diseases including cancer and ciliopathies. Discovery of the centriole dates back to the 19th century. However, recent advances in genetic and biochemical tools, development of high-resolution microscopy, and identification of centriole components have accelerated our understanding of its assembly, function, evolution, and its role in human disease. The centriole is an evolutionarily conserved structure built from highly conserved proteins and is present in all branches of the eukaryotic tree of life. However, centriole number, size, and organization varies among different organisms and even cell types within a single organism, reflecting its cell type–specialized functions.
It is gradually becoming clear that different modes of centriole formation observed across different organisms and different cell types of the same organism are controlled variations of the same centriole assembly blueprint. However, to fully understand centriole functions and how centrioles contribute to human diseases, it will be critical to understand the nuances of the molecular pathways that operate in physiological cellular contexts. Until then, because of the diversity in their number, structure, and function, centrioles will rightfully remain a central enigma in cell biology.
Common Design 