alleryStart learning →How do cilia differ from flagella in length and number on a cell?
ACilia are longer and fewer per cell
BCilia are shorter and more numerous
CCilia are longer and more numerous
DCilia are shorter and fewer per cell
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Cilia are shorter and more numerous
1. Flagella are long, hair-like structures, and when present a cell has just one or a few.
2. Cilia are short, hair-like structures instead.
3. When cilia are present, many of them extend along the entire surface of the plasma membrane.
4. So cilia are the shorter and the more numerous of the two.
5. Any answer calling cilia longer contradicts that description.
6. Despite differing in length and number, both share the same 9 plus 2 arrangement of microtubules.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 "Cell Structure", section 4.5 The Cytoskeleton_
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