Yes, ciliated cells can move, but not in the same way as, say, a muscle cell. The movement is facilitated by the cilia themselves.
How Ciliated Cells Move
Ciliated cells possess hair-like structures called cilia that beat rhythmically. This coordinated beating creates a current that moves fluids or substances across the cell's surface. This movement serves various purposes depending on the location and type of ciliated cell:
-
Locomotion: Some single-celled organisms, like Paramecium, use their cilia for swimming. As noted in the reference material, "Ciliates are eukaryotic microorganisms that possess motile cilia exclusively and use them for either locomotion or to simply move liquid over their surface. A Paramecium for example is covered in thousands of cilia that enable its swimming."
-
Mucus Clearance: In the respiratory system, the coordinated beating of cilia in ciliated cells moves mucus containing trapped debris and pathogens upward out of the airways. The provided text states, "In the respiratory tract, cilia move back and forth in a… coordinated beating of cilia to move the mucus layer." This mucociliary clearance is crucial for respiratory health. Damage to these cells, as seen in conditions like COVID-19, impairs this crucial function. The reference about SARS-CoV-2 highlights this, stating, "SARS-CoV-2 damages ciliated cells and inhibits mucociliary clearance in airways."
-
Fluid Transport: In other parts of the body, cilia move fluids over epithelial surfaces. The function of cilia is described as "to move water relative to the cell in a regular movement of the cilia." This contributes to various physiological processes.
The reference discussing ciliated cells in the context of lung disease states, "Because both CFTR and ENaC control water movement through the epithelium…" This demonstrates the importance of ciliary movement in maintaining fluid balance.
Types of Cilia and their Movement
It is important to distinguish between motile and non-motile cilia. While the former are responsible for the movement described above, the latter are involved in sensory functions, receiving signals from the surrounding environment.
