Chemokinesis

Chemokinesis is the motile response of unicellular prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms to chemicals which cause the cell to make some changes in their migratory behavior, usually involving a change in its movement, by speeding it up, slowing it down, or changing its direction. It gets its name from chemokines which in turn take their name from chemotactic cytokines—the term chemo being used to describe any condition where there is an increase in the activity induced by the presence of any chemical substance.

In chemokinesis the changes involve a decrease or an increase in speed, alterations of amplitude or frequency of motile character, or changes in the director of migration. Chemokinesis, in contrast with [Page 374]chemotaxis, involves a random and non-vectorial moiety. However there have been variations with chemoattraction not necessarily including any element of orientation for the cells themselves. This use of Chemokinesis has proved important in research into the human coronary system and also into helping locate effective receptors for treatment for a variety of conditions.