Amoeboid locomotion is the usual mode of movement in adherent (i.e. sticky) eukaryotic cells - e.g. amoebas, slime moulds, leukocytes and sarcomas etc etc. It also features in biological processes such as embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer metastasis.

It's accomplished by protrusion of the cytoplasm of the cell, involving the formation of pseudopodia ('false-feet'). It's known to involve controlled transitions of parts of the protrusions between 'sol' and 'gel' states.

Although the movement has been observed and extensively studied - from the time that it was first possible to see moving amoebas under the microscope - the exact mechanisms involved are still unknown.

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Also see : Flagellaplugin-autotooltip__plain plugin-autotooltip_bigFlagella

A flagellum is a lash-like movable appendage - often used as a means of propulsion - which is attached to the cell body of many bacteria and some eukaryotic cells. There are some notable examples in plants (e.g. fern spores) and even mammals (e.g. sperm cells).

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