motility
Capacity for self-movement
Motility is the ability to move spontaneously and independently.
The term appears most often in biology and medicine, describing cellular movement sperm motility, digestive tract contractions gut motility, or an organism's capacity for self-propelled motion.
Motility differs from mobility—motility is inherent biological capacity, while mobility is freedom or ease of movement generally.
Involuntary digestive muscle waves
- digestionBodily food breakdown
- contractionsShortened word forms
- intestinalOf the gut
- bowelInternal digestive organ
gastric · esophageal · colonic · smooth muscle · transit · propulsion · churning · segmentation
Movement to new territory
- locomotionAbility to travel independently
- chemotaxisMovement toward chemical cues
- phagocytosisCellular ingestion of particles
- cytoskeletonInternal protein support structure
amoeboid · pseudopod · cilia · flagella · actin · microfilament · crawling · adhesion
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- flagellaWhiplike locomotion appendages
- ciliaHairlike cellular projections
- swarmingGathering in large numbers
- twitchingInvoluntary muscular contractions
gliding · chemotaxis · biofilm · colony · swimming · tumbling · spirochete · protozoa
Male reproductive cell
- spermatozoaMale reproductive cells
- flagellarOf whip-shaped appendages
- swimmingLocomotion through water
- fertilityCapacity for reproduction
conception · ejaculate · hyperactivation · viability · morphology · count · insemination · fertilization
Cancer spreading beyond origin
- invasionForcible entry into territory
- migrationMovement to new territory
- tumorAbnormal tissue mass
- malignancyCancerous, invasive growth
angiogenesis · extravasation · degradation · protease · adhesion · basement membrane · stromal · dissemination
Abnormal or unhealthy operation
- disorderAbsence of organization
- impairmentDiminished function or capacity
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
- diagnosisIdentification of illness
testing · manometry · fluoroscopy · biopsy · treatment · therapy · medication · stimulant
peristalsis
Involuntary digestive muscle waves
- digestionBodily food breakdown
- contractionsShortened word forms
- intestinalOf the gut
bowel · gastric · esophageal · colonic · smooth muscle · transit · propulsion · churning · segmentation · sphincter
migration
Movement to new territory
- locomotionAbility to travel independently
- chemotaxisMovement toward chemical cues
- phagocytosisCellular ingestion of particles
cytoskeleton · amoeboid · pseudopod · cilia · flagella · actin · microfilament · crawling · adhesion · cytoplasmic
bacteria
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- flagellaWhiplike locomotion appendages
- ciliaHairlike cellular projections
- swarmingGathering in large numbers
twitching · gliding · chemotaxis · biofilm · colony · swimming · tumbling · spirochete · protozoa · amoeba
sperm
Male reproductive cell
- spermatozoaMale reproductive cells
- flagellarOf whip-shaped appendages
- swimmingLocomotion through water
fertility · conception · ejaculate · hyperactivation · viability · morphology · count · insemination · fertilization · ovum
metastasis
Cancer spreading beyond origin
malignancy · angiogenesis · extravasation · degradation · protease · adhesion · basement membrane · stromal · dissemination · colonization
dysfunction
Abnormal or unhealthy operation
- disorderAbsence of organization
- impairmentDiminished function or capacity
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
diagnosis · testing · manometry · fluoroscopy · biopsy · treatment · therapy · medication · stimulant · evaluation
- Bacterial behaviorchemical signals, gene regulation, population density, collective behavior, pheromones
- digestionstomach acid, swallowing, digesting, chewing, digestion
- fertilityfertility, fecundity, infertility, conception, reproduction
- microbiologybacteria, bacterium, microbe, microbes, microorganisms
- animacyanimate, inanimate, living, nonliving, alive
- Life Traitsmetabolism, reproduction, growth rate, respiration, heredity
motilityimmobility
Lack of motion
paralysis · sessile · fixed · rooted · stationary
motilityrest
Cessation of activity
repose · stillness · stasis · quiescence · immobilization
remote, emotion, motion, movement, mobile, motor, promote, motive, commotion