Discussion #3: Why Does Cell Structure Matter to Me? Ciliary Dysfunction with SIT and PCD
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Organelles: small but powerful! (links embedded for more info)
Situs inversus totalis (SIT)! No, this is not a spell from a book of magic, but rather a rare medical condition, estimated to occur in 1 out of 10,000 births. The term is Latin and translates to “total opposite location”, referring to a reversal in the placement of all abdominal and thoracic organs- what should be on the left is on the right and vice-versa. Abnormal? For sure. However, SIT alone does not typically affect lifespan or quality of life. Randy Foye (Links to an external site.) , for example, was born with SIT and had a successful career in the NBA for more than a decade. Watching him play basketball, you would have no idea his heart is on the wrong side of his body. But how exactly did it get there? Impaired motile ciliary activity. In other words, the cilia, small hair-like structures projecting from cells, were broken.