In this video we're going to talk about some of the functions of pili. Pili typically number in only 1 to 2 per cell. Although pili can have many different functions, generally, pili have 2 primary functions that we have numbered down below, 12. The first primary function of pili is cell motility. Motility is really just referring to the ability of an organism to move through its environment.
You can see that in this image, the bacterial cell here is using its pilus to move from the starting point to the finish line over here. Pili can be used for cell motility, for a cell to propel itself and move itself through its environment. Now the second primary function of pili is for DNA transfer. The pilus can be used as somewhat of a bridge to connect one cell to a neighboring cell. This pilus can be used as a bridge or a tunnel to transfer DNA from one cell to a neighboring cell.
You can see here that the DNA is almost like a gift, and bacterial cells are able to exchange DNA with neighboring cells by using their pili. This is something that we'll be able to talk more about as we move forward in our course. But for now, this here concludes our brief introduction to the function of pili. I'll see you all in our next video.
