Cilium Microvilli Diagram. The microtubules are held together by cross linking proteins. Each cilium contains nine pairs of microtubules forming the outside of a ring and two central microtubules.
In the base of the cilium a centriole blepharoplast is shown 28500 magnification. Cilia are motile but microvilli are non motile. A cilium of an ependymoma cell from the fourth ventricle.
Historically cilia were distinguished from flagella by higher numbers per cell shorter length and beat modes three dimensional waveform compared with undulatory waveform.
Cilia are made up of microtubules coated by the plasma membrane. The length is 5 20 µm in case of cilium and 100200 µm in case of flagellum. Motile cilia are characterized by a typical 92 architecture with nine outer microtubule doublets and a central pair of microtubules eg bronchi. Between the nine outer pairs are motor proteins called dynein.