Is Obesity A Ciliopathy, Triggered By Malfunctioning Primary Cilia?

The only thing cili here is the silly research.

Is obesity a ciliopathy, a disorder such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which is triggered by a defect in the microscopic hair-like cilia that protrude from virtually every cell of humans and other vertebrates?

University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) researchers told the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) 2011 Annual Meeting in Denver that mutations in primary cilia may scramble signaling pathways in the hypothalamus, the appetite-regulating region of the brain, and trigger chronic obesity.

Their preliminary findings suggest that mutated primary cilia are unable to dock the melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) receptor, a key control on appetite.

There is only one thing that "triggers" obesity - more Calories in than out.

All the rest is ciliness.