IFT is not just a delivery service; it is a critical regulator of cellular health and communication.
Mechanism of IFT-A polymerization into trains for ciliary transport 3. I.F.T.
The IFT machinery consists of large multi-subunit protein complexes and molecular motors that travel along microtubule tracks. : IFT is not just a delivery service; it
: Primarily involved in retrograde transport (returning to the cell body). : Primarily involved in anterograde transport (moving toward
: Primarily involved in anterograde transport (moving toward the tip). Molecular Motors : Kinesin-2 : The "engine" for anterograde movement. Dynein-2 : The "engine" for retrograde movement. 2. Key Biological Roles
3. IFT: The Molecular Railway of the Cell Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is a fundamental biological process essential for the assembly, maintenance, and signaling functions of and flagella . Because these organelles cannot synthesize their own proteins, they rely on a specialized "railway system" to shuttle materials between the cell body and the ciliary tip. 1. The Core Components