Pilus (Noun)
Meaning 1
Hairlike structure especially on the surface of a cell or microorganism.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The bacterium was covered in a pilus, which helped it to adhere to the surface of the host cell.
- The scientists used electron microscopy to visualize the pilus structures on the surface of the fungal spores.
- The pilus of the neuron was critical for the transmission of electrical signals between nerve cells.
- The examination of the microbe revealed a pilus that enabled it to absorb nutrients from the surrounding environment.
- The mutated bacteria lacked a functioning pilus, rendering them unable to anchor themselves to the surface of the host tissue.
Meaning 2
Any of the cylindrical filaments characteristically growing from the epidermis of a mammal; "there is a hair in my soup".
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.