streaming movement


a·me·boid move·ment

a type of movement characteristic of the protoplasm of leukocytes, amebae, and other unicellular organisms; protoplasm streams to a region of the cell where surface pressure is least and forms a balloon-shaped pseudopod; subsequently, the protoplasm may return to the body of the cell, causing retraction of the pseudopod, or the cell's entire volume of protoplasm may flow into the pseudopod, therefore causing the cell to move from its previous position to the location occupied by the pseudopod. Synonym(s): streaming movement

stream·ing move·ment

(strēm'ing mūv'mĕnt) The form of locomotion characteristic of the protoplasm of leukocytes, amebae, and other unicellular organisms; involves massing of the protoplasm at a point where surface pressure is lowest, extruding in the form of a pseudopod; the protoplasm may return to the body of the cell, resulting in the retraction of the pseudopod, or the entire mass may flow into the latter and thereby result in locomotion of the cell.