Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Motility
Introduction
Motility is a biological term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and independently. It can apply to either single-celled or multicellular organisms.
In cellular biology or biomedical engineering, motility often refers to directed cell movement down gradients established in biopolymers. Examples are:
- movement along a chemical gradient (see chemotaxis)
- movement along a rigidity gradient (see durotaxis)
- movement along a gradient of cell adhesion sites (see haptotaxis)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]