Downstream signaling: Cilia release ectosomes to deliver important messages in the kidney
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Although the cilium has been known to scientists for more than 100 years, it is only recently that it has been acknowledged to play important roles in physiology. Virtually every cell has a primary cilium that functions to senses fluid flow, transmits chemical signals to other cells and controls cell growth. Defects in the function of cilia lead to a class of diseases called ciliopathies, which include polycystic kidney disease, primary ciliary dyskinesia and Bardet-Biedl syndrome.