Tag: Pinocytosis

First described in the 19th century by scientist Élie Metchnikoff, cellular eating is a fundamental biological process for nutrient uptake and defense. Also known as endocytosis, this active transport mechanism is how cells consume external substances by engulfing them within their plasma membrane.

According to the National Institutes of Health, eukaryotic cells must obtain nutrients from their surroundings to function and grow. The plasma membrane, a semi-permeable barrier, controls all exchanges between the cell and its environment. These essential nutrients are taken in through a variety of sophisticated mechanisms that explain how do cells take up food.