Amoeba nutrition involves five steps :
1. INGESTION
Ingestion involves taking in of food.
Amoeba do not have mouth, therefore food intake may take place from any part of the body, but it usually takes place at the advancing end i.e., pseudopodia. This process of obtaining food is called phagocytosis.
2. DIGESTION
Digestion is the breakdown of complex food molecules into simpler molecules through a series of chemical reactions carried out by various enzymes.
In Amoeba, the food digestion occurs within the food vacuoles which, thus, act as temporary stomach. Digestive enzymes secreted by the cytoplasm are stored in the cytosomes. A lysosome full of enzymes fuses with each food vacuole and converts it into diffusible form. Enzymes reported for amoeba include : amylase, which converts starches to sugars, protease, which breaks proteins to amino acids, lipase, that changes fats to fatty acids and glycerol.
3. ABSORPTION
Absorption means taking up digested nutrient molecules into the cells of living organisms.
In Amoeba, the soluble foods resulting from digestion diffuse through the food vacuoles into the surrounding cytoplasm. As absorption proceeds, the food vacuoles decrease in size till only the indigestible matter is left in them.
4. ASSIMILATION
The absorbed food is synthesised into protoplasm and this is known as assimilation. Some food is synthesised into storage products like glycogen and fats. Synthesis is aided by enzymes.
5. EGESTION
The removal of the undigested food is known as egestion.
In Amoeba, egestion may occur in any part of the body. The indigestible matter left in the food vacuoles is denser than the surrounding endoplasm. Such vacuoles finally come in contact with the plasmalemma. The plasmalemma ruptures at this point, and the indigested food is thrown out. Plasmalemma soon gets repaired to prevent the outflow of the endoplasm.
Food is stored in food vacuoles within an amoeba. When an amoeba engulfs food particles through phagocytosis, the food vacuole forms around the ingested material. Enzymes then break down the food inside the vacuole for digestion.
The small cavity within the cytoplasm of an amoeba that stores food is called a food vacuole. This structure helps the amoeba digest and break down food particles for energy.
Amoeba
Hamburger
An amoeba gathers food through a process called phagocytosis, where it surrounds and engulfs its food, such as bacteria or algae, with its cell membrane to form a food vacuole. Enzymes are then released into the vacuole to digest the food, allowing the amoeba to absorb the nutrients.
The person will die if the blood does not circulate. Blood is necessary to supply food and oxygen to the body.
Amoeba can die if they lack oxygen. They need it.
The digestion of food in Amoeba takes place in the food vacuole. :)
Food is stored in food vacuoles within an amoeba. When an amoeba engulfs food particles through phagocytosis, the food vacuole forms around the ingested material. Enzymes then break down the food inside the vacuole for digestion.
The small cavity within the cytoplasm of an amoeba that stores food is called a food vacuole. This structure helps the amoeba digest and break down food particles for energy.
AMOEBAS use pseudopods to get food...
Amoeba has flexible cell membrane. It enables amoeba to engulf in food by the process called endocytosis.
Amoeba
Endocytosis
Hamburger
An amoeba gathers food through a process called phagocytosis, where it surrounds and engulfs its food, such as bacteria or algae, with its cell membrane to form a food vacuole. Enzymes are then released into the vacuole to digest the food, allowing the amoeba to absorb the nutrients.
The food vacuole is formed by the outer membrane of the amoeba after phagocytosis, digestive enzymes then enter the food vacuole which digest the food that was recently taken in by pseudopods.