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Phagocytosis (from Ancient Greek φαγεῖν (phagein) 'to eat' and κύτος (kytos) 'cell') is the process by which a cell uses its plasma membrane to engulf a large particle (≥ 0.5 μm), giving rise to an internal compartment called the phagosome. It is one type of endocytosis. A cell that performs phagocytosis is called a phagocyte.
Due to their role in phagocytosis, macrophages are involved in many diseases of the immune system. For example, they participate in the formation of granulomas, inflammatory lesions that may be caused by a large number of diseases. Some disorders, mostly rare, of ineffective phagocytosis and macrophage function have been described, for example ...
The mononuclear phagocyte system and the monocyte macrophage system refer to two different entities, often mistakenly understood as one. [citation needed] "Reticuloendothelial system" is an older term for the mononuclear phagocyte system, but it is used less commonly now, as it is understood that most endothelial cells are not macrophages. [2]
It has been known for some time that animals defend themselves against cancer by antibody-mediated or antibody-independent phagocytosis of viable tumour cells by macrophages. Recognition of viable cancer cells for phagocytosis may be based on the expression of novel antigens, senescence markers, phosphatidylserine or calreticulin.
In phagocytosis, a cell surrounds particles including food particles through an extension of the pseudopods, which are located on the plasma membrane. The pseudopods then package the particles in a food vacuole. The lysosome, which contains hydrolytic enzymes, then fuses with the food vacuole. Hydrolytic enzymes, also known as digestive enzymes ...
Macrophages are produced through the differentiation of monocytes, and after ingestion of bacteria, secrete enzymes to destroy the ingested particle. These cells reside in every tissue of the body, and upon infected tissue, are recruited to the tissue. Once recruited, macrophages will differentiate into specific tissue macrophages.
In detail, a phagocyte's duty is obtaining food particles and digesting it in a vacuole. [2] For example, following phagocytosis, the ingested particle (or phagosome) fuses with a lysosome containing hydrolytic enzymes to form a phagolysosome; the pathogens or food particles within the phagosome are then digested by the lysosome's enzymes.
Phagocytosis of a bacterium, showing the formation of phagosome and phagolysosome In cell biology , a phagosome is a vesicle formed around a particle engulfed by a phagocyte via phagocytosis . Professional phagocytes include macrophages , neutrophils , and dendritic cells (DCs).