Figure 1. Hypothalamic neuronal cilia regulate energy metabolism.
Neuronal cilia emanating from POMC-expressing neurons regulate obesity phenotypes in the ciliopathies. Under normal conditions, neuronal cilia and the BBSome complex may serve to modulate signaling from the leptin receptor and/or other receptor complexes. Upon perturbation of the cilium, mistrafficking of receptor complexes leads to the inactivation of STAT3 and to dysfunctional cellular signaling.