Definition
noun, plural: filaments
(1) threadlike structure.
(2) a fiber or fibril.
(3) a long chain of protein subunit, as protein filament.
(4) (botany) the stalk of a stamen of a flower, supporting the anther.
(5) (mycology) hypha in fungi and actinobacteria.
(6) (ornithology) the barb of a down feather.
Supplement
Word origin: NL fīlāmentum, equiv. to LL fīlā(re) to wind thread.
Related forms: filamentous (adjective)
Related terms:
- thick filament
- thin filament
- sliding filament hypothesis
- actin filament
- myosin filament
- sliding filament model
- glial filament
- intermediate filament
