A member of a group of gastropod molluscs; most species secrete a spiral shell for protection. Some species of snails don't make shells and are known as slugs.
Snail moves slowly, and consequently needs help from others often in order to get around, often by riding on Franklin's shell. Got angry in one episode by Franklin's excessive helping, Snail proved his capability by scaling a tall cliff to gather some crystals for the group.
freshwater or marine or terrestrial gastropod mollusk usually having an external enclosing spiral shell
escargot: edible terrestrial snail usually served in the shell with a sauce of melted butter and garlic
gather snails; "We went snailing in the summer"
The name snail applies to most members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells. Other gastropods, which lack a conspicuous shell, are commonly called slugs, and are scattered throughout groups that primarily include snails. Snails are found in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments. While most people are familiar with only terrestrial snails, the majority of snails are not terrestrial. ...
“snail”在英漢詞典中的解釋
英音：[sneil]美音：[snel]
snail
KK: []
DJ: []
n.[C]
1. 蝸牛
2. 動作遲緩的人(或動物)
3. 蝸形輪(=snail wheel)
2、Snail基因
與蝸牛一詞毫無關係，只是基因組中的一個基因。
鋅指轉錄因子Snai屬於Snail超家族成員，Snail家族成員主要有Snail，E12，E47，ZEB1，SIP和Slug等，其家族成員具有相似的結構，由一個高度保守的羧基末端及一個高度可變的氨基末端構成，其結構上的差異主要表現在中間P-S富集區域.近年一些研究證實，一些惡性腫瘤Snail呈高表達，高表達的惡性腫瘤多分化差、易發生轉移和復發及侵襲能力強，認為是一個反映惡性腫瘤預後不良的重要生物學標記物.
Snail基因的表達產物是一種在上皮-間充質轉分化(epithelial-mesen-chymal transition, EMT)過程中居於重要地位的的轉錄因子。EMT是包括非小細胞肺癌在內的多種腫瘤細胞獲得侵襲轉移能力的重要機制。
