Abstract
Centrioles and basal bodies are conserved, highly stable microtubule-based supramolecular structures. Together with the pericentriolar material, centrioles form the major microtubule organizing center of animal cells, known as the centrosome. Centrioles can be structurally altered to form basal bodies, which template the formation of cilia, specialized protrusions from eukaryotic cell membranes involved in cell signaling, motility, and fluid movement. Centrioles and basal bodies are normally extremely stable: They can withstand numerous rounds of cell division and are resistant to cold treatment, microtubule depolymerizing drugs, and other chemical treatments that disassemble cytoplasmic microtubules. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of how centrosomal substructures, which include the centriolar microtubule walls, cartwheel, inner scaffold, and pericentriolar material, contribute to the long-term stability of centrioles and basal bodies. We also review how the regulated loss of these substructures can trigger centriole elimination in multiple tissues and organisms.