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motility

1 of 1noun
/moʊˈtɪləti/
Forms:motilities
1

a change of position that does not entail a change of location

2

the ability of an organism or cell to move independently using specialized structures such as flagella, cilia, or pseudopodia

  • Sperm cells exhibit motility as they swim towards the egg for fertilization.
  • Bacteria use flagella for motility, allowing them to move towards nutrients or away from toxins.
  • Amoebas extend pseudopodia to achieve motility and capture prey in their environment.
  • Ciliated cells in the respiratory tract have motility to sweep mucus and debris out of the lungs.
  • Motility is essential for the movement of cells during processes like wound healing and embryonic development.
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