flagellum
a long, whip-like structure that helps a cell to move
Flagellum (plural flagella) is a tail-like, whip-like appendage that protrudes from the surface of certain cells. It is primarily used for cellular locomotion and movement. The movement of flagella is achieved by the coordinated action of microtubules, which slide against each other due to the presence of dynein motor proteins. The whip-like motion produced by flagella allows unicellular organisms like bacteria and algae to move through liquid environments, while in higher organisms like humans, flagella are found in certain cells such as sperm cells where they play a crucial role in enabling sperm to swim to the female egg during fertilization. There are different types of flagella, including bacterial flagella, archaeal flagella, eukaryotic cilia and eukaryotic flagella.
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