Amoebas obtain their food through a process called phagocytosis, where they use their pseudopodia (false feet) to engulf and surround food particles. This process involves the pseudopodia extending and enveloping the food, forming a food vacuole. Enzymes are then released into the vacuole to digest the food, and the resulting nutrients are absorbed into the amoeba’s cytoplasm.
Here’s a more detailed look at the process:
1. Ingestion:
The amoeba uses its pseudopodia to surround and engulf a food particle, forming a membrane-bound vesicle called a food vacuole.
2. Digestion:
Enzymes from lysosomes (organelles within the amoeba) are released into the food vacuole, where they break down the food into smaller, usable molecules.
3. Absorption:
The digested nutrients are then absorbed from the food vacuole into the amoeba’s cytoplasm, where they can be used for energy and growth.
4. Egestion:
Undigested waste products are then expelled from the amoeba through a process called exocytosis.