Phagocytosis

This animation shows the process of a macrophage ingesting a foreign substance.

Macrophages are scavenger cells that can ingest dead tissue and foreign cells. Macrophages form tentacles called pseudopods to surround an invader. Once inside the macrophage, the invader is walled off and then digested and destroyed by a bag of digestive chemicals, or enzymes.

Reviewed last on: 10/4/2008
Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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