Multiciliated cells line many of our organs and play a key role in removing mucus, particles, and pathogens. However, how these specialized cells form is still poorly understood. In an article published in the Journal of Cell Biology, members of the Biology of Ciliated Epithelia team have developed a new experimental model that allows them to observe, step by step, the early stages of their differentiation in Xenopus. This work opens up new perspectives for understanding ciliopathies.