Ciliary ectosomes: transmissions from the cell's antenna

•Cilia function as sensory antennae.•Cilia can release extracellular vesicles that carry out biological functions beyond the cell.•Extracellular vesicles carry a wide range of cargoes and participate in cell-to-cell communication.

The cilium is the site of function for a variety of membrane receptors, enzymes and signal transduction modules crucial for a spectrum of cellular processes. Through targeted transport and selective gating mechanisms, the cell localizes specific proteins to the cilium that equip it for the role of sensory antenna. This capacity of the cilium to serve as a specialized compartment where specific proteins can be readily concentrated for sensory reception also makes it an ideal organelle to employ for the regulated emission of specific biological material and information. In this review we present and discuss an emerging body of evidence centered on ciliary ectosomes – bioactive vesicles released from the surface of the cilium.