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Hopkins researchers link cilia to sense of touch
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Cellular hairs — cilia — play a role in nearly every sense, even touch.
Johns Hopkins McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine and colleagues are currently testing genetically engineered mice for ciliopathies — a disease affecting sensory functions.
The importance of cilia extends beyond molecular flippers used for cell mobility. Recent studies show the lack of functional cilia cells can limit human sensation.
“Without cilia, we could not survive,” said Nico Katsanis, researcher at Johns Hopkins. “Cilia plays a fundamental role in sending signals to the brain.”
Katsanis tests mice with defective cilia similar to Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBs) against normal mice and compares their sensitivity to heat and pressure. Since BBs mice displayed normal coordination on a spinning rotor, their slow response to pressure was not attributed to motor problems. “They just have a higher threshold for registering the sensation.”
Damaged cilia require stronger stimuli, which can be potentially damaging.
“We never thought cilia played a role in contributing to sensation,” said Frank Rice, a neuroscientist at Albani Medical College.
Sensory information travels to the brain at a slower rate in Bardet-Biedl mice and may have similar results in humans. Nine patients with BBs were tested to prove Katsanis’ theories about cilia affecting sensation. Studies found non-BBs patients were better able to guess the weight and shape of an object by touch than some BBs patients.
“We are focusing on the loss of sensation,” Rice said. “One of our long-term goals is to better understand how skin and other organs are affected by pain.”
lduffy@baltimoreexaminer.com
