Phagocytosis, illustration
Phagocytosis. Illustration of the process of phagocytosis, by which cells engulf solids (here, bacterial cells, orange). The bacteria are enclosed by an area of cell membrane as it enfolds or 'invaginates' to surround them (centre left). This invagination pinches off (upper right) to form an enclosed vesicle (lower right) within the cell cytoplasm (blue). Phagocytosis is a form of endocytosis. For three forms of endocytosis, see images C023/8787, C023/8789 and C023/8793. For exocytosis (the reverse process), see image C023/8796. For this artwork without labels, see image C023/8788.
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