# Knockdown of armc3 Impairs Motile Cilia Function in Schmidtea mediterranea

## TL;DR

This study shows that reducing armc3 in Schmidtea mediterranea impairs cilia structure and movement, which could help understand human ciliopathies.

## Contribution

The novel finding is that ARMC3 is crucial for motile cilia function in Schmidtea mediterranea.

## Key findings

- Knockdown of armc3 reduced cilia length by 48.9% and gliding speed by 63.7%.
- Abnormal cilia distribution was observed in the anterior region of knockdown planaria.

## Abstract

Cilia are microtubule-based structures lining epithelial surfaces of many organs and play an essential role in diverse metabolic and developmental processes. Structural or functional disruptions of cilia can lead to ciliopathies affecting multiple organs. Knocking down
armc3
in
Schmidtea mediterranea
revealed reduction in cilia length of 48.9% compared to the control, accompanied by 63.7% reduction in gliding speed. Additionally, knockdown planaria displayed abnormal cilia distribution, particularly in the anterior region. These findings suggest that ARMC3 is essential for maintaining proper motile cilia structure and function and highlight its potential relevance for understanding ciliopathies in humans.