Amoebae use pseudopods to engulf food particles, a process called Phagocytosis
Amoeba proteus engulfs its prey by a process called “phagocytosis”. As the amoeba moves towards its prey, its pseudopods reach out, surround, and engulf the food inside the cell membrane of Amoeba proteus by forming a food vacuole. Then the digestive enzymes are released into the vacuole to break down the food in small nutrient molecules for Amoeba proteus to use.
[In this figure] Amoeba phagocytosis.
The pseudopods first surround and bring the food particle close to the Amoeba. Then a part of the cell membrane opens to allow the particle to move into the cell and into a food vacuole where it is digested by enzymes.
Extended read:
Facts about Amoeba
This article covers
- What is Amoeba?
- Is Amoeba a cell?
- What is inside Amoebas’ “false feet” or “pseudopods”?
- How does Amoeba proteus eat?
- What is Amoeba proteus’ favorite food?
- Tell me more about the secrets of Amoeba proteus!
- How big is the Amoeba proteus ?
- How fast the Amoeba proteus can move?
- Does Amoeba proteus have eyes?
- How does Amoeba proteus breathe?
- How does Amoeba proteus reproduce?
- Where to look for Amoeba proteus?
- How to find Amoeba proteus under an optical microscope?
- What to look for under the microscope?
- I saw some shiny particles inside Amoeba proteus. What is that?
- Do other Amoebas also look like Amoeba proteus?
- Where did the name “Amoeba” come from?
- How is Amoeba classified?
- I heard that Amoebas can eat human brains. Is it true?