Phagocytosis: what’s on the menu?
Open accessAbstract
Phagocytosis is an evolutionarily conserved process. In Protozoa, phagocytosis fulfills a feeding mechanism, while in Metazoa, phagocytosis diversified to play multiple organismal roles, including immune defence, tissue homeostasis, and remodeling. Accordingly, phagocytes display a high level of plasticity in their capacity to recognize, engulf, and process targets that differ in composition and morphology. Here, we review how phagocytosis adapts to its multiple roles and discuss in particular the effect of target morphology in phagocytic uptake and phagosome maturation.
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Phagocytosis is most likely the ancestral feeding mechanism of metazoans.
“As phagocytosis is also the prevalent or only feeding mechanism in sponges, ctenophores, cnidarians and a subset of bilaterian animals (Fig. 1b; and below), it is most likely the ancestral feeding mechanism of metazoans”
From A non-bilaterian perspective on the development and evolution of animal digestive systems (2019) · cites this paper as Lancaster et al. 2019
In “Phagocytic Branches on the Tree of Life” (page unavailable), the review says phagocytosis originally had a nutritional role and describes sponges capturing food through phagocytosis. It does not specifically conclude that phagocytosis was the ancestral feeding mechanism of metazoans. (LLM, conf=0.78)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn vertebrates, tunicates or insects, phagocytosis is mainly restricted to immune cells and plays little or no role during intestinal digestion.
“Notably, in a number of bilaterian groups including vertebrates, tunicates or insects, phagocytosis (and to a lesser extent pinocytosis) is mainly restricted to immune cells of the blood or nervous system and plays little or no role during intestinal digestion (Fig. 1b and references)(Lancaster et al. 2019; O'hagan 1996; Schafer and Stevens 2013; Yonge 1937).”
From A non-bilaterian perspective on the development and evolution of animal digestive systems (2019) · cites this paper as Lancaster et al. 2019
In “Phagocytic Branches on the Tree of Life” (page not provided), the paper describes immune-cell phagocytosis in insects and vertebrates, supporting that part of the claim. It also describes phagocytosis by non-immune cells, and the passages do not establish that phagocytosis is mainly restricted to immune cells in these groups or plays little or no role in their intestinal digestion. They do not address tunicates. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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References 145 · Cited by 49
- Authors
- Lancaster, C. E., Ho, C. Y., Hipolito, V. E. B., Botelho, R. J., & Terebiznik, M. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Toronto Metropolitan University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Botelho, Roberto J.
- Terebiznik, Mauricio R.
- Venue
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology
- Publisher
- Canadian Science Publishing
- Published
- 2019-02
- Volume
- 97
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 21-29
- ISSN
- 0829-8211 (ISSN-L)
- 1208-6002
- OpenAlex
- W2803948950
- Semantic Scholar
- 6a07e8c3ff1fd7fff638740b00bb54562c15814a
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 145
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 4
- FWCI
- 0.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Locations
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- TSpace (University of Toronto) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Phagocytosis and Immune Regulation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular transport and secretion
- Keywords
- phagocytosis, phagosome maturation, immune defence, tissue homeostasis, tissue remodeling, protozoan feeding, engulfment, target recognition
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cell Physiological Phenomena, Humans, Phagocytosis, Phagosomes, Receptors, Cell Surface, Signal Transduction
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