Ciliates are ciliated protozoa. A single celled organism a ciliate must perform all of the functions that multicellular organisms must perform but without specialized cells. Thus their subcellular architecture can be quite complex, making them ideal organisms for the study of subcellular structure and how such structures are formed.
Ciliates use the hair-like cilia organelles to propel themselves through their environment.
A cilium is an membrane covered extension of the cell membrane that contains and assortment of cytoskeleton proteins that give the structure the ability to move and thus push against the medium. Microtubules are one of the principle protein found in cilia but in addition another important class of proteins found in the cilia are a class of motor proteins, known as dynein. This motor protein is attached to a microtubule and can reach additional microtubules and slide them relative to each other. By coordinating the relative sliding motions the cell can cause the cilia to bend. Cilia are organized by centrioles that move to the cell periphery where they are known as basal bodies.