5.2 Phagocytosis

Question 1

What are the two types of white blood cells

Answer 1

1. Phagocytes

2. Lymphocytes

Question 2

What do phagocytes do

Answer 2

Ingest and destroy the pathogen before it can cause harm

Question 3

What do lymphocytes do

Answer 3

Involved in immue responses

Question 4

What is the process of phagocytosis

Answer 4

1. Chemical products of dead, damaged and abnormal cells act as attractants, causing phagocytes to move towards the pathogen
2. Phagocytes have several receptors on their membrane that recognise, and attach to, chemicals on the surface of the pathogen
3. They engulf the pathogen to form a vesicle, known as a phagosome
4. Lysosomes move towards the vesicle and fuse with it
5. Enzymes called lysozymes are present within the lysosome. These lysozymes destroy ingested bacteria by hydrolysis of their cell walls.
6. The soluble products from the pathogens breakdown are absorbed into the cytoplasm of the phagocyte.