Phagocytosis

Question 1

What is a phagocyte? Where is it found?

Answer 1

• a macrophage (type of WBC which carries out phagocytosis)
• found in blood/tissues

Question 2

What is a non-specific response?

Answer 2

• any non-self cell that is detected triggers the same response to destroy it

Question 3

What are the stages of phagocytosis?

Answer 3

1. Macrophage attracted by any chemicals/ debris released by pathogens/ abnormal cells
2. Attachment proteins (on the surface of macrophage) will attach to antigens on the pathogen
3. Macrophage changes shape to engulf the pathogen
4. Pathogen is contained in a phagosome (vesicle)
5. Lysosome (phagocyte) fuses with phagosome and releases its contents - lysozyme enzyme hydrolyses the pathogen which destroys it
6. The soluble products are absorbed and used by the macrophage