Mastigoneme

Mastigonemes are lateral "hairs" that attach to protistan flagella.

[1] Stramenopile hairs are approximately 15 nm in diameter, and usually consist of flexible basal part that inserts into the cell membrane, a tubular shaft that itself terminates in smaller "hairs".

They reverse the thrust caused when a flagellum beats.

Typology of flagella with hairs:[2][3][4][5][6] Observations of mastigonemes using light microscopy dates from the nineteenth century.

[7][8][9][10][11] Considered artifacts by some, their existence would be confirmed with electron microscopy.

Schematic drawing of Cafeteria roenbergensis ( Heterokonta : Bicosoecida ) with two unequal (heterokont) flagella: an anterior straminipilous (with tubular tripartite mastigonemes) and a posterior smooth
A chrysomonad ( Heterokonta : Chrysophyceae ) under TEM , with a smooth flagellum (1) and a long flagellum covered with mastigonemes (3)
Two cryptomonads ( Cryptophyceae ) under SEM . Mastigonemes not visible.