Attached to nearly every human cell is an antenna-like structure known as the primary cilium, which senses the cell's environment and controls how it responds to signals from its surroundings. New research from the U.S. and Sweden has mapped and identified hundreds of proteins that comprise these structures, contributing new insights for future research into ciliary biology, disease mechanisms and potential therapies.

Publishing in the journal Cell, researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stanford University used advanced imaging and antibody-based techniques to map proteins inside primary cilia across three types of human cells. They analyzed more than 128,000 individual cilia and identified 715 proteins that are located in different parts of the cilium responsible for sensing mechanical or chemical signals, such as hormones. These primary cilia are distinct from motile cilia, which are responsible for movement of fluids or cells.

Professor Emma Lundberg, a researcher in cellular and clinical proteomics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, says the study also identified a possible gene behind various disorders linked to malfunctions of the cilium. These can lead to disorders affecting many parts of the body, from the brain and eyes to the kidneys and bones. In addition, the researchers discovered 91 proteins that had never before been linked to cilia.

The study expands the current understanding of cilia, casting them as highly adaptable and versatile processors of information, which tune their protein composition to suit the needs of the cell they belong to. "Cells seem to customize the protein composition of their cilia to have them perform specific sensing tasks," Lundberg says. "These newly-discovered ciliary proteins inspire many new hypotheses about their roles in cellular function and human health."

Swedish prosecutors have charged four men aged 20 to 24 with robbery and assault in connection with three separate incidents that occurred in central Stockholm on August 27. The charges include allegations of unprovoked violent attacks with a hate crime motivation, according to court documents released by the Swedish Prosecution Authority.

The defendants are accused of robbing one individual and threatening that person's friend in Stockholm's city center, followed by what prosecutors describe as a severe assault against another person later the same night. Three of the men face additional charges for an assault that took place on the Stockholm metro system during the same evening. All victims in the three separate incidents were reported to have foreign backgrounds, though they had no connection to each other.

Prosecutor Gustav Andersson, who led the preliminary investigation, stated that surveillance footage and photographs show some of the defendants making Nazi salutes in connection with the alleged crimes. During house searches, authorities reportedly discovered materials and symbols indicating connections to right-wing extremism. The indictment specifically references the neo-Nazi and violence-promoting Aktivklubb movement as evidence of the motive behind the alleged offenses.

The Aktivklubb movement represents part of a larger international right-wing extremist network that outwardly focuses on strength training and martial arts. In Sweden, the movement gained traction in 2023 through the Aktivklubb Sverige network, which serves as an umbrella organization for local clubs. According to the Expo Foundation's 2024 annual report, five groups from Skåne to Hälsingland are part of Aktivklubb Sverige, with the number of registered activities increasing significantly last year.