Which process describes the type of endocytosis where a cell engulfs large particles or whole cells?

The process described where a cell engulfs large particles or whole cells is known as phagocytosis. This is a specific type of endocytosis, which is the process by which a cell internalizes substances from its external environment. During phagocytosis, the cell membrane extends around the large particle or another cell, forming pseudopods, which then enclose the material and bring it into the cell in a vesicle.

This mechanism is crucial for various biological functions, including the immune response, where certain cells, like macrophages, use phagocytosis to engulf and destroy pathogens or debris. The ability to take in large particles is a defining characteristic of phagocytosis, setting it apart from other forms of endocytosis.

In contrast, osmosis refers specifically to the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane and does not involve the uptake of large particles. Pinocytosis is another type of endocytosis that involves the ingestion of extracellular fluid and smaller particles, characterizing it as "cell drinking," and is different from the "cell eating" function of phagocytosis. Exocytosis, on the other hand, is the process by which cells expel materials, essentially the reverse of end