Proteus swarm cells [Cells in motion; 6]

These sequences are of the specialized swarmer cells of the bacterium, Proteus mirabilis. These bacteria are ubiquitous in nature, and break down protein wastes. Proteus normally grows in an aqueous environment, and the small, motile swimmer cells are approximately 1 micron wide. When grown on a solid medium, however, they differentiate into specialized swarmer cells, which are able to move on solid surfaces. In these sequences they are moving on agar. They can move as individual cells or as groups called rafts, and can only move if next to other cells. Swarming colonies of cells can be extremely large - an inoculum of cells can cover an entire 9 cm petri dish in less than a day. Swarmers are very elongated, and can be up to 100 microns in length. Each swarmer cell has hundreds to thousands of flagella all over its surfaceComponente Curricular::Educação Superior::Ciências Biológicas::Biologia Gera