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Quiz yourself on Human Defense Systems - Non-specificGet your flashcardsBuild my revision planTrack my progressSecond Line of Defence: Phagocytosis
If pathogens get past the body's barriers, phagocytes (a type of white blood cell) are the next line of defence. Phagocytes move to the site of infection and destroy pathogens by a process called phagocytosis.
- Detection — the phagocyte detects chemicals released by the pathogen and moves towards it
- Engulfing — the phagocyte surrounds the pathogen with its cell membrane and takes it inside the cell
- Digestion — enzymes inside the phagocyte break down and destroy the pathogen
This process is non-specific — phagocytes attack any pathogen, regardless of type. The same response happens whether the pathogen is a bacterium, a fungus, or a virus.
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