chemotaxis

American  

[kee-moh-tak-sis, kem-oh-] / ˌki moʊˈtæk sɪs, ˌkɛm oʊ- /

noun

Biology.

1. oriented movement toward or away from a chemical stimulus.

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chemotaxis British  

/ ˌkɛməʊˈtæksɪs /

noun

1. the movement of a microorganism or cell in response to a chemical stimulus

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chemotaxis Scientific  

/ kē′mō-tăk′sĭs,kĕm′ō- /

1. The characteristic movement or orientation of an organism or cell along a chemical concentration gradient either toward or away from the chemical stimulus. Bacteria exhibit chemotaxis when they move toward a source of nutrients.

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Other Word Forms

• chemotactic
  adjective
• chemotactically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of chemotaxis

First recorded in 1890–95; chemo- + -taxis

Example Sentences

An important example is the process by which cells or organisms move in response to chemical signals in their environment, also known as chemotaxis.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024

The researchers found that the key to understanding the chemotaxis of the droplets is the pH-gradient, as it facilitates the Marangoni effect, which describes how molecules flow from areas of high surface tension to low.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2024

Over the last century, how researchers understood cell migration was limited to the effects of biochemical signals, or chemotaxis, that direct a cell to move from one place to another.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2023

It is excellent at binding complement proteins and activating the complement cascade, consistent with its role in promoting chemotaxis, opsonization, and cell lysis.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Von Wissman was staying at the German Embassy, but was drawn all the way to South Kensington by the sweet savour of the grill-room—an instance of what the physiologists call "positive chemotaxis."

From More Science From an Easy Chair by Lankester, E. Ray (Edwin Ray), Sir