Ciliátáknál

Ciliátáknál is a Hungarian term referring to organisms possessing cilia. Cilia are short, hair-like appendages found on the surface of many eukaryotic cells. They are distinct from flagella, which are longer and fewer in number. Cilia are typically arranged in precise rows or patterns and beat in a coordinated manner, facilitating movement or the manipulation of fluids.

In many single-celled organisms, such as those belonging to the phylum Ciliophora (often called ciliates), cilia are the primary means of locomotion. These organisms use their cilia to swim through aquatic environments. The coordinated beating of millions of cilia can propel a ciliate rapidly and with remarkable agility. In addition to movement, cilia also play a crucial role in feeding for many ciliates. They can create currents that sweep food particles towards the cell's oral groove, where they are ingested.

Cilia are also found on the cells of multicellular organisms, though they may not be the primary mode of locomotion for the organism as a whole. For instance, in the human respiratory tract, ciliated epithelial cells line the airways. The rhythmic beating of these cilia helps to move mucus and trapped debris upward and out of the lungs, a vital defense mechanism. Similarly, in the female reproductive tract, cilia on the cells lining the fallopian tubes help to move the egg cell towards the uterus. The structure of cilia is highly conserved, consisting of a core of microtubules arranged in a characteristic "9+2" pattern, surrounded by a membrane extension of the cell's plasma membrane.