ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Filopodia

Have you ever seen a spiderweb tree? You know how the spider puts out these long extras that look like little strings coming off the tree? That's kind of like what filopodia are! They're like tiny strings that stick out of cells in your body.

These little strings are actually made up of proteins, and they help the cells do a lot of important things like moving around, sticking to other cells, and sensing things around them. They look kind of like little fingers or antennae, and they're always moving and exploring their environment.

Scientists are really interested in filopodia because they play a big part in how cells develop and grow, and they might even help cancer cells spread through the body. So even though they're super tiny and hard to see, they're a really big deal!