Phagocytosis

=**Phagocytosis:**=

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//Phagocytosis is the process in which extensions of cytoplasm surround and engulf large particles and take them into the cell. Phagocytosis is a type of endocytosis (process by which a cell takes material into the cell by infolding of the cell membrane), which is a type of active transport (energy requiring process that moves material across a cell membrane against a concentration difference).//=====



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//The prefix __phago__ means to destroy, consume, and eat, but in this instance it means to engulf. The root __cyto__ or __cyt__ means the term cell (collection of living matter enclosed by a barrier that separates the cell from its surroundings; basic unit of all forms of life). The suffix __osis__ means a process of affection. To synthesize,// //phagocytosis is the process in which cells are engulfed and broken down or destroyed.//=====

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//The initial ideas of phagocytosis were firstly explored around the years of 1882 with the experimenting with phagocytes and in 1883 with the proposal of phagocytosis due to the experimental discoveries of phagocytes engulfing and destroying microscopic living organisms. Although their was a first notion of it in 1876, the work consisted of a description of the process that was occurring (now known as phagocytosis) but neither of the reports were generally cited in histories of immunology.//=====



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//Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov was involved immensely with the development of phagocytosis where his work originated from work on comparative embryology. Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov discovered the wonder of phagocytosis which is heavily associated with his name currently. Although he receives high credibility for the discovery, William Osler demonstrated similar research to those of Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov. Both of his reports on the similar discoveries as Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov were generally cited in histories of immunology but should be acknowledged due his work, predating Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, who's name is associated with the cell transport concept. Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov was born in a Russian village near Kharkiv, now present day Kupiansk Raion, Ukraine. Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov started his life out in Russia until he moved to Germany. From Germany he moved backed to Russia. Finally, following Pasteur's advice, Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov left Russia for Paris, France. There he stayed until his death at the age of seventy one years. On the other hand, William Osler was born in Bond Head, Canada West. Similar to Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, William Osler traveled throughout the world winding up the in eastern United States for some time and even across the planet from his birthplace in Europe. William Osler passed with seventy years of life in Oxford, London, United Kingdom.//=====



__**How does phagocytosis affect an animal cell?**__
//Phagocytosis affects an animal cell by surrounding the particles with extensions of the cell's cytoplasm and engulfing the large particles so they can be taken inside the cell.//



__**How does phagocytosis affect a plant cell?**__
//Phagocytosis does not affect a plant cell because plant cells are enclosed with cell walls that don't allow extensions of the cell's cytoplasm to escape or be released from the cell. The purpose of the cell wall is to enclose all of the organelles inside the cell and provide protection and structure for the cell. In other words, phagocytosis can not function upon plant cells.//

__**Is phagocytosis ever dangerous to the cell?**__
//Phagocytosis can only be dangerous to the cell when it is not functioning. Cells amongst the immune system interact with bacteria and viruses that would otherwise make us heavily sick if it weren't for phagocytosis. Phagocytosis breaks down and engulfs the large particles of bacteria and viruses so they can be destroyed or unthreatening to the cells of the immune system. If phagocytosis was not functioning properly in the cells of the immune system, viruses and bacteria could infect the cells and cause significant damage to one's immune system, causing you to become sick or worse. Without phagocytosis functioning, it can be extremely dangerous to the cells and one's health.//



__**What is an example of how phagocytosis is utilized in the human body?**__
//One example of how phagocytosis is utilized in the human body are the phagocytes macrophages which identify and destroy harmful invaders to our body. Macrophages are large immune cells that monitor the body for harmful invading cells or particles and dead cells to obtain. Macrophages have the ability to travel throughout the bloodstream carrying out their specific tasks of obtaining harmful cells to the human body. Due to the extensive size macrophages are highly efficient phagocytes, carrying out phagocytosis.//



__**Analogy:**__

 * Photosynthesis: || Sunlight ||
 * Phagocytosis: || Energy ||

//I made the following decisions listed above in my analogy because photosynthesis requires sunlight in order for the process to produce glucose as does phagocytosis require energy in order for its process of engulfment to occur, breaking down the large particles and destroying them. Also, both of these processes are beneficial to cells, either remaining safe from diseases or gaining the necessary glucose that a plant cell needs in order to function. In simple terms, both of the comparisons listed above, require energy in order to function and carry out their important processes.//

__**Work Cited:**__
https://www.thoughtco.com/biology-prefixes-and-suffixes-phago-or-phag-373810 http://www.dictionary.com/browse/cyt http://my.bhsonline.org/moodle/pluginfile.php/74195/mod_resource/content/1/Glossary%20A-L.pdf http://ocas.pearsonschool.com/ph/cd/0-13-115540-7/?token=53616c7465645f5fbfd66b0103e1512861e41792984a1072fe1aa8798d4cd31b0909a95ddc095b670a608a1ab4c39f1a0ecc57c6ef8abfde https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1908/mechnikov-bio.html http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008874906000797 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sir-William-Osler-Baronet https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/csf1975/3/1/3_1_25/_pdf https://study.com/academy/lesson/phagocytosis-definition-process-types.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC130096/