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Pathophysiology of cilia in cardiovascular diseases

WANG Lin-Sen¹, ZHOU Dan¹, MA Xiao¹, WANG Zhi-Hua^1,2,*

¹State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China；²Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen 518057, China

Abstract

Cilia are organelles on the surface of eukaryotic cells, characterized by complex microtubule structures and diverse physiological functions. By sensing external environmental changes, cilia play critical roles in cell movement, signal transduction, and molecule transport. Ciliary dysfunction has been associated with pathogenesis of human diseases. Primary cilia in the cardiovascular system sense blood flow shear stress, fluid dynamics, and external signals, and regulate cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation and movement. Dysfunction of cilia has been closely linked to the onset of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, myocardial fibrosis, atherosclerosis and congenital heart disease. This relationship emphasizes the role of cilia in maintaining cardiovascular health and their potential in both prevention and therapeutic strategies. By exploring the regulatory mechanisms of cilia in the cardiovascular system and their involvement in disease pathogenesis, this review aims to provide a theoretical basis for cilia-related research and highlight their potential in early diagnosis and treatment.

Key words: cilia; primary cilia; signal transduction; heart development; hypertension; myocardial fibrosis

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 王志华　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2026.0046

Citing This Article：

WANG Lin-Sen, ZHOU Dan, MA Xiao, WANG Zhi-Hua. Pathophysiology of cilia in cardiovascular diseases. Acta Physiol Sin 2026; 78 (3): 463-475