The Multifaceted Roles of Primary Cilia in the Development of the Cerebral Cortex

The primary cilium, a microtubule based organelle protruding from the cell surface and acting as an antenna in multiple signaling pathways, takes center stage formation of cerebral cortex, part brain that performs highly complex neural tasks confers humans with their unique cognitive capabilities. These activities require dozens different types neurons are interconnected ways. Due to this complexity, corticogenesis has been regarded one most developmental processes cortical malformations underlie number neurodevelopmental disorders such intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy. Cortical development involves several steps controlled by cell–cell signaling. In fact, recent findings have implicated cilia diverse neurogenesis, neuronal migration, axon pathfinding, circuit developing cortex. Here, we will review advances on roles during cortex discuss implications for better understanding disease mechanisms underlying disorders.