Colour SEM of phagocyte ingesting bacteriaPhagocytosis. Coloured scanning electronmicrograph of a polymorphonuclear white blood cellor leucocyte, attacking Bacillus cereus bacteria. The leucocyte (orange), part of thebody's immune system, is attaching to andengulfing the Bacillus cells (blue, rod-shaped). It uses enzymes to digest the bacteria.This process of engulfment and digestion is knownas phagocytosis. Highly mobile, phagocytic cellsmigrate to areas of tissue damage. However, theirnecessary enzymes are quickly depleted byphagocytic activity so they degenerate. Defunctcells accumulate in pus. Magnification x7, 300 at6x7cm size. Magnification: x25, 000 at 10x8" size.
Copyright © Dr Kari Lounatmaa / Science Photo Library
You may also be interested in these collections
> Similar Colours
Keywords: anatomy, bacillus cereus, bacteria, cell, defence, human body, image, immune, immune response, immunology, leucocyte, leukocyte, magnified image, microscopic photos, neutrophil, phagocyte cell, phagocytic, phagocytosis, polymorphonuclear, polymorphonuclear leucocyte, subject, system, white blood cell
|