noun
- Plural of dynein; a class of motor proteins that use energy from ATP to move along microtubules, enabling cell movement and transport of organelles.
Usage: technical; biology; cell biology
Examples
- Dyneins are responsible for the movement of cilia and flagella in cells.
- The dyneins in nerve cells transport cargo along microtubules to distant axon terminals.
- Mutations affecting dyneins can lead to ciliary dysfunction and respiratory problems.
- Researchers study dyneins to understand how cells move organelles within their cytoplasm.
- Unlike kinesins, dyneins typically move toward the minus end of microtubules.