Protists

Protists

Diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms with widespread distribution, medical uses, and significant roles in the food chain.

Van Leeuwenhoek

Scientist who first observed protists in pond water, leading to their discovery.

Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor (LECA)

The protist that is the common ancestor of all eukaryotic organisms.

Red Algae

Multicellular protists with economic importance, often found in marine environments and used in products like agar and sushi.

Green Algae

Protists with over 7,000 species, some of which are unicellular, filamentous, or multicellular, and are thought to be ancestral to plants.

Amoebae

Protists that move and ingest food using pseudopods, including species like Entamoeba Histolytica and Naegleria Fowleri.

Slime Moulds

Protists that can be plasmodial or cellular, exhibiting behaviors like forming chemical trails and altruistic actions.

Malaria

Disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted by mosquitoes, with different species like Falciparum, Vivax, Malariae, and Ovale affecting humans.

Immune Cells

Cells like T-cells, macrophages, and neutrophils that work together to identify and destroy pathogens in the body.

Antigenic Variation

Strategy used by pathogens like Plasmodium to evade immune destruction by changing surface proteins, leading to challenges in vaccine development.