• Question: How do cells get eaten by other cells?

    Asked by brainybox1 to Dr D, Jasmine on 24 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by zaineb123.
    • Photo: Andrew Devitt

      Andrew Devitt answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      Well @brainybox1 – great question. It depends on the sort of cell that is getting eaten.

      If the cell is a bacterium, our immune system cells can grab hold of things on the bacterial surface. They can also chase them around until they catch them – check out YouTube – search for “neutrophil chasing bacteria”. Very cool to watch.

      If the cell to get eaten is one of our own (that we don’t need or want any more) we have a few changes that happen. All our cells have signals on them. Some are called ‘don’t eat me’ signals (that stop the getting eaten). These can be lost as cell die and need eating. But there are also ‘eat me’ signs and cells that need to be eaten, produce more of these!

      Very clever

    • Photo: Jasmine Penny

      Jasmine Penny answered on 25 Jun 2013:

      Great question! There is a really cool process called phagocytosis (pronounced ‘fag-oh-sy-toe-sis’). This is where cells recognise large particles such as bacteria and engulf them or eat them. They do this by surrounding the bacteria with their membrane – it is like they are giving them a big hug. However the bacteria becomes completely surrounded by the membrane and enters the cell. The cell then destroys it! These cells are called phagocytes (pronounced ‘fag-oh-sites’). These phagocytes can also recognise signals sent out by dying cells and it will eat them too. When they eat dying cells it has a different name, called efferocytosis!

Comments