Sensory reception is an attribute of both primary cilia and motile cilia.

A recent cluster of papers has shown that motile cilia in the respiratory and reproductive tracts of humans and other mammals can exhibit sensory functions, a function previously attributed primarily to non-motile primary cilia. This leads to a new paradigm that all cilia and flagella (both motile and primary) can mediate sensory functions. However, examination of the literature shows that evidence of sensory functions of motile cilia and flagella is widespread in studies of invertebrates, and extends as back as far as 1899. In this Opinion article, I review the recent and historical findings that motile cilia have a variety of sensory functions, and discuss how this concept has in fact been evolving for the past century.