Editing Motility (section)

==Definitions==

Motility, the ability of an [[organism]] to move independently, using metabolic energy,<ref name="rupress">{{cite web |title=Motility |url=http://jcb.rupress.org/content/jcb/91/3/148s.full.pdf |access-date=10 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Online Etymology Dictionary |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=motility |quote="capacity of movement," 1827, from French motilité (1827), from Latin mot-, stem of movere "to move" (see move (v.)).}}</ref> can be contrasted with [[Sessility (motility)|sessility]], the state of organisms that do not possess a means of self-locomotion and are normally immobile. 
Motility differs from '''mobility''', the ability of an object to be moved.

The term '''vagility''' means a lifeform that can be moved but only passively; sessile organisms including plants and fungi often have vagile parts such as fruits, seeds, or spores which may be dispersed by other agents such as wind, water, or other organisms.<ref name="nerd word">{{cite web |title=Botanical Nerd Word: Vagile |url=https://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/blog/word-of-the-week/botanical-nerd-word-vagile/ |website=torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ |date=7 November 2016 |access-date=29 September 2020}}</ref>

Motility is [[genetic determinism|genetically determined]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Nüsslein-Volhard |first=Christiane |title=Coming to life: how genes drive development |date=2006 |publisher=Kales Press |location=San Diego, California |isbn=978-0979845604 |page=75 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n19wkrmFJhwC&pg=PA73 |chapter=6 Form and Form Changes |quote=During development, '''any change in cell shape is preceded by a change in gene activity'''. The cell's origin and environment that determine which transcription factors are active within a cell, and, hence, which genes are turned on, and which proteins are produced.}}</ref> but may be affected by environmental factors such as [[toxin|toxins]]. The [[nervous system]] and musculoskeletal system provide the majority of mammalian motility.<ref>{{cite book |last=Fullick |first=Ann |title=Edexcel A2-level biology |date=2009 |publisher=Pearson |location=Harlow |isbn=978-1-4082-0602-7 |page=138 |chapter=7.1}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Fullick |first1=Ann |title=Edexcel A2-level biology |date=2009 |publisher=Pearson |location=Harlow |isbn=978-1-4082-0602-7 |page=67 |chapter=6.1 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=E. Cooper |first1=Chris |last2=C. Brown |first2=Guy |title=The inhibition of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase by the gases carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide: chemical mechanism and physiological significance |journal=Journal of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes |date=October 2008 |volume=40 |issue=5 |pages=533–539 |doi=10.1007/s10863-008-9166-6 |pmid=18839291 |s2cid=13682333}}</ref>

In addition to [[animal locomotion]], most [[animal]]s are motile, though some are vagile, described as having [[Animal locomotion#Passive locomotion|passive locomotion]]. Many [[bacteria]] and other [[microorganism]]s, including even some [[viruses]],<ref>{{cite journal |author1=P.H. Hamming |author2=N.J. Overeem|author3=J. Huskens|title=Influenza as a molecular walker |journal=Chemical Science |date=November 2019 |volume=11 |issue=1|pages=27–36 |doi=10.1039/C9SC05149J|pmid=32153750 |pmc=7021193 }}</ref> and [[multicellular organism]]s are motile; some mechanisms of [[fluid flow]] in multicellular organs and tissue are also considered instances of motility, as with [[Gastrointestinal physiology#Motility|gastrointestinal motility]]. Motile [[marine animal]]s are commonly called free-swimming,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Krohn |first1=Martha M. |last2=Boisdair |first2=Daniel |title=Use of a Stereo-video System to Estimate the Energy Expenditure of Free-swimming Fish |journal=Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |date=May 1994 |volume=51 |issue=5 |pages=1119–1127 |doi=10.1139/f94-111}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cooke |first1=Steven J. |last2=Thorstad |first2=Eva B. |last3=Hinch |first3=Scott G. |title=Activity and energetics of free-swimming fish: insights from electromyogram telemetry |journal=Fish and Fisheries |date=March 2004 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=21–52 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-2960.2004.00136.x |bibcode=2004AqFF....5...21C |quote=We encourage the continued development and refinement of devices for monitoring the activity and energetics of free-swimming fish}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carey |first1=Francis G. |last2=Lawson |first2=Kenneth D. |title=Temperature regulation in free-swimming bluefin tuna |journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A |date=February 1973 |volume=44 |issue=2 |pages=375–392 |doi=10.1016/0300-9629(73)90490-8 |quote=Acoustic telemetry was used to monitor ambient water temperature and tissue temperature in free-swimming bluefin tuna (''Thunnus thynnus'' Linneaus {{sic}}, 1758) over periods ranging from a few hours to several days. |pmid=4145757}}</ref> and motile non-[[parasitic]] organisms are called free-living.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Parasites |url=https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/about.html |publisher=Centers for Disease Control |access-date=29 September 2020 |quote=Protozoa are microscopic, one-celled organisms that can be free-living or parasitic in nature.}}</ref>

Motility includes an organism's ability to move food through its [[gastrointestinal tract|digestive tract]]. There are two types of intestinal motility – [[peristalsis]] and [[segmentation contractions|segmentation]].<ref>{{EMedicine |article |179937 |Intestinal Motility Disorders}}</ref> This motility is brought about by the contraction of smooth muscles in the gastrointestinal tract which mix the luminal contents with various secretions (segmentation) and move contents through the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus (peristalsis).<ref>{{Cite book |title=Vander's Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of Body Function (14th ed). |author1=Wildmarier, Eric P. |author2=Raff, Hershel |author3=Strang, Kevin T. |publisher=McGraw Hill |year=2016 |location=New York, NY |pages=528 }}</ref>