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How do phagocytes destroy invading germs?
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The routine monitoring of blood pressure levels is an important part of assessing an individual's health. Blood pressure provides information about the amount of blood in circulation and about heart function and thus is an important indicator of disease.
Phagocytes, such as macrophages and neutrophils, destroy invading germs through a process called phagocytosis.21
The process generally follows these steps:
- Adherence: The phagocyte must first attach to the foreign particle. If direct contact is difficult, the body uses opsoninsāsuch as antibodies or complement proteinsāto coat the germ, making it easier for the phagocyte to bind to it.1
- Engulfment: The phagocyte extends its cytoplasm to form pseudopods, which surround the germ and pull it into the cell. The germ is then enclosed within a membrane-bound sac called a phagosome.21
- Digestion: Lysosomes within the phagocyte fuse with the phagosome. These organelles contain powerful hydrolytic enzymes that are secreted into the vacuole to break down and destroy the ingested material.213
This defensive mechanism is essential for clearing bacteria and other foreign bodies from the blood and tissues, protecting the body from infection.21