Phagocytosis

• 1. pathogen releases chemicals that attract the phagocytes towards it along the concentration gradient
• 2. the phagocyte binds to the pathogens complementary receptors and recognises it as non self
• 3. the phagocytes engulfs the pathogen into a sac like structure called a vesicle once the pathogen is in the vesicle it becomes a phagosome
• 4. lysosomes inside the phagocytes fuse with the phagosome forming a phagolysosome
• 5. lysosomes contain lysozyme which hydrolyses the pathogen
• 6. the phagocyte then digests the pathogen using enzymes from its own digestive system
• 7. if the pathogen survives this process it will be destroyed by other immune responses such as antibodies or T-cells