Pseudopodium

Pseudopodium (plural pseudopodia) refers to a temporary protrusion of the surface of an amoeboid cell for movement and feeding. The word pseudopodium means "false foot". It is a characteristic of a group of eukaryotic cells conventionally classified as the Sarcodina, which includes the Amoeba and its relatives; some cells in other groups may also form pseudopodia, including other Protista, fungi, and white blood cells.

Structure and function

Pseudopodia are a type of cytoplasmic protrusion that can be involved in both motion and feeding. They are formed by the coordinated activity of microfilaments made of actin, a protein that can rapidly assemble into long chains. The cell surface projects a membrane-enclosed extension that contains cytoplasm from the cell body, and this extension is the pseudopodium.

Types of pseudopodia

There are several types of pseudopodia, distinguished by their distinct appearances and methods of movement.

• Lobopodia are bulbous, short, and blunt in form. They are the most common form of pseudopodia.
• Filopodia are slender and filiform with pointed ends, consisting mainly of ectoplasm. They contain microfilaments which are often capped by plasma membrane.
• Reticulopodia, also known as reticulose pseudopodia, are complex formations where individual pseudopods are blended together and form a net-like (reticulum) structure.
• Axopodia are long, thin pseudopodia containing complex arrays of microtubules and are enveloped by cytoplasm. Axopodia are mostly involved in phagocytosis, by rapidly retracting in response to physical contact.

See also

• Amoeboid movement
• Cell migration
• Cytoskeleton
• Lamellipodium
• Microfilament

References

Pseudopodium Resources
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