Basal bodies

La rete nervosa diffusa [Golgi] nello strato dei granuli del cervelletto. Activité électrique du cortex cérébral dans les états de sommeil et de veille chez le chat. C. Azione di alcune sostanze chimiche sulle zone eccitabili della corteccia cerebrale del cane. The functional analysis of the cortical centres by means of local chemical stimulation. Q. One or many arousal systems? Reflections on some of Giuseppe Moruzzi's foresights and insights about the intrinsic regulation of brain activity. Arch. Ital. What is the difference between a basal body and a centriole? In 1898 Mihaly Lenhossek and Louis Henneguy independently published reports showing that basal bodies were identical to centrioles. This idea, known as the Henneguy–Lenhossek Theory, was not confirmed until the 1950s when electron microscopy studies showed that basal bodies and centrioles share the same fine structure. Despite these similarities, some important differences exist between basal bodies and centrioles. Specifically, basal bodies are located near the cell surface where one basal body directly nucleates one cilium. In contrast, centrioles are linked in pairs near the nucleus where they recruit the pericentriolar material required to nucleate the microtubules of the mitotic spindle. Centrioles also possess distal appendages that are lacking on basal bodies. What is the basal body structure? The basal body cylinder, which is approximately 0.25 µm in diameter and 0.5 µm long, is composed of a symmetrical array of nine triplet microtubules with a 9(3) + 0 arrangement similar to that of the centriole (Figure 1). Basal bodies have an intricate cartwheel structure at the proximal end and a distinct structure known as the transition zone at the distal end separating the basal body from the attached cilium. The lumen of the basal body is filled with an amorphous electron-dense material. What is a basal body? The basal body (also known as the kinetosome) is a highly conserved cellular organelle discovered over one hundred years ago. Basal bodies are barrel-like microtubular structures located near the cell surface that provide the template for the nine-fold symmetry upon which the cilium is assembled. What is the function of a basal body? Basal bodies are thought to be involved in many aspects of cell biology, including the organization of cytoskeletal elements such as cilia. The basal body plays a role in motility, cell-cycle progression, morphogenesis and sensation, depending upon the cell type, via its function in organizing the cilium or, in some cases, organizing …