Cytostome

Cytostome

A cytostome or cell mouth is a part of a cell specialized for phagocytosis, usually in the form of a microtubule-supported funnel or groove. Food is directed into the cytostome, and sealed into vacuoles. Only certain groups of protozoa, such as the ciliates and excavates, have cytostomes. Such examples include Balantidium coli - a ciliate. In others, and in cells from multicellular organisms, phagocytosis takes place at any point on the cell or feeding takes place by absorption.



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  • cytostome — n. The mouth of a protozoan. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cytostome — [sitostom] n. m. ÉTYM. Déb. XXe; t. créé en all. Zytostom, av. 1888. → Cyto , et stome. ❖ ♦ Zool. Ouverture de la membrane protoplasmique servant à l ingestion des aliments, chez certains organismes unicellulaires. || Ciliés sans cytostome. ⇒… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Cytostome — Le cytostome est une invagination de la membrane plasmique de certains Eucaryotes unicellulaires (comme les Euglenophyta). Il peut être assimilé à la bouche des organismes multicellulaires, puisque les particules alimentaires y transitent avant d …   Wikipédia en Français

  • cytostome — (si to stōm) A permanent site in the protozoan ciliate body through which food is ingested …   Dictionary of microbiology

  • cytostome — cytostomal, adj. /suy teuh stohm /, n. the mouth of a protozoan. [1885 90; CYTO + STOME] * * * …   Universalium

  • cytostome — noun A cellular organelle found only in certain protozoa; it is specialized for phagocytosis, and usually has the form of a microtubule supported funnel or groove. Syn: cell mouth …   Wiktionary

  • cytostome — The cell “mouth” of certain complex protozoa, usually with a short gullet or cytopharynx leading food into the organism, where it is collected into food vacuoles, then circulated inside the body, eventually to be excreted through the cytopyge.… …   Medical dictionary

  • cytostome — cy·to·stome …   English syllables

  • cytostome — noun mouth of a protozoan • Hypernyms: ↑mouth • Part Holonyms: ↑protozoan, ↑protozoon * * * ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ at cyto +ˌstōm noun ( s) …   Useful english dictionary

  • protozoan — /proh teuh zoh euhn/, n., pl. protozoans, (esp. collectively) protozoa / zoh euh/, adj. Biol. n. 1. any of a diverse group of eukaryotes, of the kingdom Protista, that are primarily unicellular, existing singly or aggregating into colonies, are… …   Universalium

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