section_path: Structures outside the cell membrane/Prokaryotic/Fimbriae
section_name: Fimbriae
paragraph_text: Fimbriae
  
  A fimbria (plural fimbriae also known as a pilus, plural pili) is a short, thin, hair-like filament found on the surface of bacteria. Fimbriae are formed of a protein called pilin (antigenic) and are responsible for the attachment of bacteria to specific receptors on human cells (cell adhesion). There are special types of pili involved in bacterial conjugation.