What does "motile" mean?

1 Answer
Sep 14, 2015

Motile means "able to move spontaneously".

Explanation:

The term is frequently used in biology to describe certain cells and spores.

Here are some examples of motility.

  • Unicellular organisms like amoebae and paramecia constantly move in search of food.
  • Various cells move into a wound during healing.
  • Eggs would not be fertilized if sperm cells were not motile.
  • Macrophages move to infection sites.
  • Some algae, bacteria, and fungi create motile spores to propagate themselves.