Introduction

Muscular movements are movements caused by the contraction of muscles. Skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles are the three common types of muscle.

• Skeletal muscle is a type of connective tissue that is attached to bones and allows them to move
• Smooth muscle can be found in various internal organs, such as the digestive tract, blood vessels like arteries and the uterus
• Cardiac muscle refers to the muscle that protects the heart

Every region of the human body contributes to muscular movements, such as the moving of lips, the blinking of an eye, etc. It is the contractile property of the muscle cells that leads to the movement of these sections. Along with outward movements, the human body can also perform movements on the inside. Two of these movements are – ciliary and flagellar movements. 

Ciliary movement is caused by the move of cilia in a coordinated manner. It helps remove dust particles inhaled through the air. In comparison, Flagellar movements are waves of muscle contraction, passing from the base to the tip of the flagellum. It produces forward and backward movements. 

Ciliary movement and its function

Ciliary movement is the coordinated movement of cilia. It helps block harmful and unwanted substances from entering the body during inhalation. Cilium, singular for cilia, is a hair structured outgrowth present on the plasma membrane of the fallopian tube or the respiratory tract. It plays a vital role in the smooth movement of fluid. It also helps eliminate any unwelcome particles in the microtubules.

A microtubule is a tubulin polymer. It helps the eukaryotic cells acquire the shape and structure needed. The regions that exhibit ciliary movements include organs lined up by the ciliated epithelium, the respiratory tract, or the fallopian tube present inside a female reproductive system.

Flagellar movement and its function

Flagellar movement is mainly found in unicellular organisms, such as protozoa and paramecium. The movement is carried out by a nonhomologous, coil-like structured part called a flagellum, singular for flagella. It helps the cells get propelled through the liquid. It also works as a sensory organ capable of calculating the pH and the temperature of the body. 

Bacterial flagella have a spinning part at their end assisting them in making their way forward and is composed of protein flagellin, which acts as a hook between the protein rings in the cell membrane. Flagella are also used to increase reproductive rates in eukaryotic organisms and can also come in hand as a secretory organelle. 

Types of flagella

Flagella are of four types, including:

• Monotrichous flagella: Also known as polar flagella, monotrichous flagella has an isolated flagellum at one end. They allow the organism to make forward and backward movements. If the organism performs a clockwise movement, it is moving forward. Vibrio cholera is an example of monotrichous flagella
• Peritrichous: In peritrichous flagella, the flagellum is attached to all body parts, including the tail. Due to overcrowding of the flagellum, the organism finds it difficult to make a move. If the flagella moves anticlockwise, the organism can move in any direction. If some of the flagella get damaged while rotating, then creating a movement is very difficult in an organism taking the spill of falling headlong. Salmonella Typhi is an example of peritrichous flagella
• Lophotrichous: In Lophotrichous flagella, the organism can perform clockwise and anticlockwise rotation depending on the need to move forward or backwards. It has tufts of flagella on single or multiple sides. Spirillum is a type of lophotrichous flagella.

• Amphitrichous: It has a single flagellum on both ends, which helps the organism to rotate clockwise to push forward or anticlockwise to pull backwards. Alkaligens faecalis is an example of amphitrichous flagella.

Difference between cilia and flagella

Cilia are hair-like outgrowths present on the walls of the respiratory tract or the fallopian tube. They help purify unwanted substances during inhalation or in the female reproductive system. Meanwhile, flagella are coil-like structured parts. They help in the movement of unicellular organisms. The difference between cilia and flagella can be stated as follows:

• Cilia are found in eukaryotic organisms. Flagella are found both in eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms
• Cilia are often short. Flagella are thread-like and found at one end of the organism’s cell
• Cilia are present on the entire surface of organisms. Flagella are present only at the two ends of cells. However, flagella can be present on the entire surface as well
• Cilia performs a beating motion. Flagella moves in a spiral manner
• The number of cilia structures are much more than the flagella structures
• Cilia fuse with protozoans, while flagella usually do not fuse with protozoans

Conclusion

All movements in the human body are related to the contraction of muscle cells. Movements like ciliary, flagellar and muscular are necessary for carrying out different activities inside the body. Ciliary movement is necessary for filtering out the waste products from entering the body. Muscular movements are responsible for performing all major machinery of the body. Flagellar movements can be seen mostly in unicellular organisms, which help them ingest the food and perform locomotive functions.