Animalcules

eukarya

are defined by organelles, membrane-bound structures that carry out specific function

cytoskeleton

cells possess highly ordered cytoskeletons necessary to cell shape, locomotion, cell division, phagocytosis and endocytosis, and vesicle trafficking

food particles

can be acquired by phagocytosis, endocytosis, or transport

→ not all cell types normally use phagocytosis to take up particles

fungi

→ chemoheterotrophs: primarily obtain carbon and energy from the metabolism of organic compounds

→ decomposers (plants & animals)

in animals & plants, they exist as pathogens or symbionts

→ these organisms are capable of degrading cellulose and lignin present in plants

→ produce many beneficial and harmful metabolites

fungi as pathogens

→ H. capsulatum: not only are the yeast cells not killed, but they replicate in infected macrophage

→ C. neoformans: induce its uptake in endocytosis via a mechanism that resembles phagocytosis. Epithelial and endothelial cells do not use phagocytosis in the uptake of anything

Protists

→ are morphologically and evolutionarily a diverse group of single cells, eukaryotic organisms. They exhibit different types of locomotion involving flagella, cilia, or pseudopodia

→ many protists exhibit different cell morphology in response to stress as part of sexual/asexual phases of reproduction or complex life cycles involving multiple species

→ exist as free-living organisms or pathogen/symbionts or various animal or plant species

→ protozoal pathogens can replicate in macrophages or trick endothelial or epithelial cells into taking in said pathogen