Phagocytosis

Definition

Phagocytosis is the process by which certain living cells called phagocytes engulf and digest particles or other cells, often to fight off pathogens or to clear debris in the body. It involves the cell membrane wrapping around the particle and forming a vesicle known as a phagosome that encloses the material to be broken down.

Related terms

Phagocyte: A type of immune cell that can engulf and absorb bacteria, other foreign bodies, and dead or dying cells.

Endocytosis: The process by which cells internalize substances from their external environment by engulfing them with their cell membrane.

Lysosome: An organelle containing digestive enzymes that break down waste materials and cellular debris; it fuses with the phagosome in phagocytosis to digest the engulfed material