Phagocytosis Flashcards
What is the first line of defence against a disease?
-Skin acting as a physical barrier against pathogen entry
-Cilia and mucus in the nose and lining the trachea trap pathogens
-Tears containing lysozymes
What is phagocytosis? (Explain the process)
-Dead/damaged/abnormal cells attract phagocytes to move towards it
-Phagocytes attach to chemicals on the surface of the pathogen via receptors
-They engulf the pathogen to form a vesicle (Called phagosome)
-Lysosomes fuse with the vesicle and fuse with it
-Lysozymes destroy ingested bacteria by hydrolysis of the cell wall
-The soluble products from the breakdown of the pathogen are absorbed into the cytoplasm of the phagocyte