axonemes
|ax-o-neme|
/ˈæk.sə.niːm/
(axoneme)
axis-like core of a cilium/flagellum
Etymology
'axoneme' originates from New Latin/Modern Greek, specifically the word 'axonema', where 'axon' meant 'axis' and 'nema' meant 'thread'.
'axoneme' changed from the Greek elements 'axon' + 'nema' into New Latin 'axonema' and was later adopted into English as 'axoneme' in the 19th–20th century scientific literature.
Initially it referred to a 'thread-like axis' (literally an axis or thread), but over time it evolved into the modern specialized biological meaning: the microtubule-based core of cilia and flagella.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the central shaft or core of a cilium or flagellum, consisting of microtubules and associated proteins (typically arranged in a 9+2 pattern) that provides structural support and enables motility.
The axonemes of motile cilia have a characteristic 9+2 microtubule arrangement.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/06 11:52