Scientists at EPFL have developed CenSpark, a fluorescent probe that makes centrioles and cilia visible inside living cells, helping researchers study cell division, development, and immunity like never before.

Inside every human cell lies a world of microscopic structures that control movement, division, and communication. Among them are centrioles and cilia, crucial components of cell signaling, motility, and division.

Centrioles organize cellular architecture and guide cell division, while cilia act as sensory and motile antennae. Defects in their formation or function are associated with a wide range of diseases, including ciliopathies and cancer.