How does amoeba engulf its food?

Question

Answer

Amoeba engulf its food by its finger like projection i.e, called pseudopodia and this process is called endocytosis.

Answer

Amoeba obtains its food by the process of endocytosis. It has flexible cell membrane. It engulfs the food particle with the help of pseudopodia and then forms a vacuole around it. When the particle is completely trapped the amoeba secretes digestive enzymes that digests the food.

Answer

Answer

Amoeba takes in food from surrounding using temporary finger-like extensions of the cell surface called pseudopodia, which fuse over the food particle forming a food-vacuole. Inside the food vacuole, complex substances are broken down into simpler ones which then diffuse into the cytoplasm.

Answer

Amoeba is an unicellular organism and it engulf its food using pseudopodia which is a finger like projection which arises when it senses its food

Answer

Answer

Amoeba, a unicellular organism, captures and engulfs its food through a process called phagocytosis. Phagocytosis allows amoeba to take in solid particles, such as bacteria, algae, and other tiny organisms, to fulfill its nutritional requirements. Let us explore the detailed steps involved in amoeba's food engulfment process.

Process of Phagocytosis in Amoeba:

1. Chemical Attraction:
Amoeba detects the presence of potential food particles through chemical signals. It releases certain chemicals that attract the nearby food particles towards its cell membrane.

2. Pseudopodia Formation:
Upon sensing the food, amoeba extends its cell membrane outwards in the form of temporary finger-like projections called pseudopodia. These pseudopodia are flexible and constantly changing in shape and direction.

3. Enclosing the Food:
The pseudopodia surround the food particle and gradually fuse together to form a food vacuole, enclosing the prey. The vacuole is formed by the fusion of the pseudopodia, creating a membrane-bound structure within the cytoplasm of the amoeba.

4. Food Vacuole Formation:
Once the food particle is enclosed within the food vacuole, the pseudopodia retract, and the vacuole separates from the cell membrane, becoming an independent structure within the cytoplasm. The food vacuole contains the captured prey and a small amount of surrounding water.

5. Fusion with Lysosomes:
Following vacuole formation, the food vacuole fuses with the lysosomes present in the cytoplasm of the amoeba. Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes that help break down the captured food into simpler substances, such as amino acids and glucose.

6. Enzymatic Digestion:
Inside the food vacuole, the digestive enzymes from the lysosomes mix with the food particle, initiating the process of enzymatic digestion. The enzymes break down the food into smaller molecules that can be easily absorbed and utilized by the amoeba for energy and growth.

7. Nutrient Absorption:
The digested nutrients are gradually absorbed by the walls of the food vacuole. As the digestion progresses, the food vacuole decreases in size, indicating the absorption of nutrients.

8. Waste Expulsion:
After the absorption of nutrients, the undigested waste materials or indigestible parts of the food are expelled from the amoeba's body through a process called exocytosis. The residual waste is released by the fusion of the food vacuole with the cell membrane, allowing the waste to be expelled out of the cell.

Conclusion:
Through the process of phagocytosis, amoeba efficiently engulfs and digests its food to meet its nutritional requirements. The use of pseudopodia, formation of a food vacuole, fusion with lysosomes, and enzymatic digestion ensure the successful uptake and utilization of nutrients by amoeba.

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Why is food vacuole called amoeba and temporary stomach Related: Practice Questions (Part - 1) - Life Process?

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