Cilium
Cilium
Cilium (pronunciation: /ˈsɪliəm/; plural: cilia) is a slender, hair-like structure present on the surface of all mammalian cells. They are primarily responsible for locomotion and are also involved in various other functions such as signal transduction and sensing the environment.
Etymology
The term "cilium" comes from the Latin word cilium which means "eyelash". The term was first used in a biological context by the German anatomist Rudolf Virchow in 1861 to describe the hair-like structures observed on cells.
Structure and Function
A cilium is composed of a microtubule-based core structure called the axoneme, which is surrounded by a specialized cell membrane. The axoneme typically has a "9+2" structure, with nine outer doublet microtubules surrounding two central single microtubules.
Cilia can be classified into two types based on their function and structure: motile cilia and non-motile cilia or primary cilia. Motile cilia are involved in locomotion and move in a coordinated, wave-like pattern. Non-motile cilia, on the other hand, serve as sensory organelles and are involved in signal transduction.
Related Terms
- Flagellum: A whip-like structure that allows a cell to move. While similar to cilia in structure, flagella are typically longer and fewer in number.
- Microtubule: A tubular component of the cytoskeleton that forms the structural core of cilia and flagella.
- Axoneme: The central core of a cilium or flagellum, composed of microtubules.
- Dynein: A motor protein that drives the movement of cilia and flagella by sliding the microtubules within the axoneme.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cilium
- Wikipedia's article - Cilium
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