Cilium

A cilium (Latin for eyelash; the plural is cilia) is an organelle found in eukaryotic cells. Cilia are thick protuberances that project from the much larger cell body.

There are two types of cilia: motile cilia and nonmotile, or primary cilia, which typically serve as sensory organelles. In eukaryotes, motile cilia and flagella together make up a group of organelles known as undulipodia. Eukaryotic cilia are structurally identical to eukaryotic flagella, although distinctions are sometimes made according to function and/or length. Biologists have various ideas about how the various flagella may have evolved.

Types and distribution

Cilia can be divided into primary and motile forms.

Motile cilia

Larger eukaryotes, such as mammals, have motile cilia as well. Motile cilia are usually present on a cell's surface in large numbers and beat in coordinated waves.

In humans, for example, motile cilia are found in the lining of the trachea (windpipe), where they sweep mucus and dirt out of the lungs.

Cilia (entomology)

Cilia (Latin for eyelashes; the singular is cilium) in entomology are fine hairs along the edges of the insect wing.

References

Glossary of botanical terms

Many of the terms used in Wikipedia glossaries (often most) are already defined and explained within Wikipedia itself. However, lists like the following indicate where new articles need to be written and are also useful for looking up and comparing large numbers of terms together. Terms relating to Plant morphology are included here as well as at Glossary of plant morphology. See also List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

This glossary is incomplete; you can help by expanding it: you can also help by adding illustrations that assist an understanding of the terms.

A

B

C

1. in flowering plants, ring of structures that may be united in a tube, arising from the corolla or perianth of a flower and standing between the perianth lobes and the stamens. The trumpet of a

D

E

F

G

a formal category equivalent to or below the rank of genus. It distinguishes:

1. an assemblage of two or more cultivars within a species or hybrid.

H

as a name misapplied by gardeners

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

1. the upper of 2 bracts enclosing a grass flower, major contributors to chaff in harvested grain.

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Z

See also

Glossary of plant morphology

International scientific vocabulary

Leaf shape

Plant morphology

Floral formula – abbreviations used in describing flower parts

References

Bibliography

External links

Glossary at: APweb

A glossary of botanical terms in English At: Flora, etc.