Phagosome

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Phagosome

Phagosome (/ˈfæɡəˌsoʊm/; from Greek phagein, "to eat" and soma, "body") is a vesicle formed around a particle engulfed by a phagocyte via phagocytosis. Professional phagocytes include macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells.

Etymology

The term "phagosome" is derived from the Greek words phagein meaning "to eat", and soma meaning "body". This reflects the process of phagocytosis where the cell engulfs some material to form the phagosome.

Function

A phagosome is a cellular compartment in which pathogenic microorganisms can be killed and digested. Phagosomes fuse with lysosomes in their maturation process, forming phagolysosomes.

Related Terms

  • Phagocytosis: The process by which a cell uses its plasma membrane to engulf a large particle, giving rise to an internal compartment called the phagosome.
  • Macrophage: A type of white blood cell that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and cancer cells in a process called phagocytosis.
  • Neutrophil: A type of white blood cell that helps heal damaged tissues and resolve infections.
  • Dendritic cell: Antigen-presenting cells that process antigen material and present it to the T-cells of the immune system.
  • Lysosome: An organelle in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells containing degradative enzymes enclosed in a membrane.
  • Phagolysosome: A cytoplasmic body formed by the fusion of a phagosome containing ingested particles with a lysosome.

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