cell motility

Question 1

to move our cells require…

Answer 1

energy
guidance (signals)
mechanical interaction with something outside the cell - ECM

Question 2

microtubules - what are they like and why?

Answer 2

hollow tubes as this increases stiffness - less flimsy and more self supporting.
made up of a and b tubulin
polar

Question 3

compare the size and function of cilia and flagella?

Answer 3

flagella move the cell, cilia move the surroundings
flagella’s about 10 times longer.

Question 4

axoneme?

Answer 4

central strand of a cilium or a flagellum made up of microtubules

Question 5

compare actin and microtubules

Answer 5

actin is narrower and more flexible
actin uses the motor protein myosin
microtubules uses the motor protein dynein

Question 6

in flagella and cilia, when microtubules and dynein are sliding along for movement, why do the bend and not they slide completely past each other?

Answer 6

positive nexin cross links

Question 7

what are filopodia and lamellipodia?

Answer 7

filopodia are projections on the membrane of migrating cells used to probe the environment
lamellipodia move the whole membrane forward, stress fibres allow for contraction of the whole cell, resulting in a a forward crawling movement.