Knockdown of armc3 Impairs Motile Cilia Function in Schmidtea mediterranea

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 <i>armc3</i> in <i>Schmidtea mediterranea</i> 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.