The phagocytosis lab uses Tetrahymena to investigate the processes of ingestion, phagocytosis, and vacuole formation in cells, and the effects of various factors on these physiological processes. Students monitor vacuole development during feeding using digital cameras to record the data, learning microscopy and data collection and analysis as an integral part of the exercise. Students can look at feeding preferences, including live vs. dead food, big vs. small food, organic vs. inorganic material. The lab can be combined with a consideration of mutational effects by incorporating the use of mutants unable to eat for various reasons, e.g., mutants that fail to form mouths at certain temperatures, or mutants with swimming defects that are unable to efficiently filter food from the water. The lab can also be used to address other issues like pollution and toxicology, and can be combined with labs addressing the effects of cigarette smoke and alcohol.

Phagocytosis video
Module Protocols
Elementary, Middle/High School
Relevant Concepts
Cellular Energetics; Chemistry of Life; Energy Transfer; Structural similarity between Single cell and Multicellular Organisms; Relationship of Structure to Function.
Next Generation Science Standards Relationships
High School: HS-LS1-7 | HS-LS2-3
Middle School: MS-LS1-1 | MS-LS1-2 | MS-LS1-7 | MS-LS2-3
Elementary School: 1-LS1-1 | 4-LS1-1 | 4-LS1-2 | 5-LS2-1 | 3-LS4-2
NYS Science Curriculum Guideline Relationships
Key Ideas 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 4.5 | 4.6
References
- Hoffmann EK, Rasmussen L, Zeuthen E. 1974. Cytochalasin B: aspects of phagocytosis in nutrient uptake in Tetrahymena. J.Cell.Sci. 15 (2):403-406.
- Jacobs ME, DeSouza LV, Samaranayake H, Pearlman RE, Siu KW, Klobutcher LA. 2006. The Tetrahymena thermophila phagosome proteome. 5 (12):1990-2000.
- Orias E and Rasmussen L. 1979. Dual capacity for nutrient uptake in Tetrahymena. V. Utilization of amino acids and proteins. J.Cell.Sci. 36:343-353.
- Pinheiro MD, Power ME, Butler BJ, Dayeh VR, Slawson R, Lee LE, Lynn DH, Bols NC. 2007. Use of Tetrahymena thermophila to study the role of protozoa in inactivation of viruses in water. Appl.Environ.Microbiol. 73 (2):643-649.
- Rasmussen L and Orias E. 1975. Tetrahymena: growth without phagocytosis. Science 190 (4213):464-465.
- Silberstein GB, Orias E, Pollock NA. 1975. Mutant with heat-sensitive capacity for phagocytosis in tetrahymena: isolation and genetic characterization. Genet.Res. 26 (1):11-19.
- Skriver L and Nilsson JR. 1978. The relationship between energy-dependent phagocytosis and the rate of oxygen consumption in Tetrahymena. J.Gen.Microbiol. 109 (2):359-366.
- Suhr-Jessen PB and Orias E. 1979. Mutants of TETRAHYMENA THERMOPHILA with Temperature-Sensitive Food Vacuole Formation. I. Isolation and Genetic Characterization. Genetics 92 (4):1061-1077.
- Williams NE, Tsao CC, Bowen J, Hehman GL, Williams RJ, Frankel J. 2006. The actin gene ACT1 is required for phagocytosis, motility, and cell separation of Tetrahymena thermophila. 5 (3):555-567.