Paramecium: Ciliary Beat

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Paramecium: Ciliary Beat

Individual cilia bend and straighten rapidly in such a way that the recovery stroke offers minimal resistance and the bending stroke helps propel paramecium through the water. The whole complement of cilia beat in a rhythmic pattern, (metachronal rhythm), so that the waves of contraction pass over the cell body like wind blowing through ripe corn.

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© Copyright D G Mackean & Ian Mackean. All rights reserved.