FLAME CELL Meaning and
Definition
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Flame cell is a term used in biology to refer to a specialized excretory cell found in a variety of invertebrate organisms, particularly in the phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms). Flame cells are a crucial component of the protonephridial excretory system in these animals.
Flame cells are characterized by the presence of multiple hair-like structures called cilia on their surface, which generate a beating or flickering movement. These cilia are responsible for the observed flame-like appearance, hence the name "flame cell." The coordinated movement of the cilia creates a water current within the animal's body that drives the excretion of waste products.
The main function of flame cells is to filter waste materials and excess fluids from the internal body cavity of the organism. As the water current flows through a network of tubules, waste molecules and excess solutes are selectively removed and expelled from the organism's body. The purified filtrate is eventually eliminated from the organism as urine.
Flame cells play a vital role in maintaining fluid balance and removing metabolic waste in organisms that lack a complex circulatory or excretory system. Their presence is especially significant in flatworms since they lack a centralized circulatory system and rely on diffusion for nutrient and gas exchange.
Overall, flame cells are key structural and functional units of the excretory system in certain invertebrate organisms, allowing for proper waste removal, osmoregulation, and maintenance of internal fluid balance.
Common Misspellings for FLAME CELL
- dlame cell
- clame cell
- vlame cell
- glame cell
- tlame cell
- rlame cell
- fkame cell
- fpame cell
- foame cell
- flzme cell
- flsme cell
- flwme cell
- flqme cell
- flane cell
- flake cell
- flaje cell
- flamw cell
- flams cell
- flamd cell
Etymology of FLAME CELL
The word flame cell is derived from the Latin term cella flammae. In Latin, cella refers to a small room or chamber, while flammae means flame or fire. The term flame cell was initially coined by scientists to describe the unique shape and function of certain specialized cells found in the excretory system of certain animals, such as flatworms. These cells have a flickering appearance under a microscope, resembling a small flame, hence the name flame cell.
Similar spelling words for FLAME CELL
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