Phagocyte

What is Phagocyte?

A white blood cell that engulfs and digests pathogens, a process called phagocytosis. Phagocytes act non-specifically against many kinds of pathogen and do not produce antibodies; their work is made more effective when antibodies have already bound to a pathogen and marked it or caused pathogens to clump together.

This definition is part of the Disease and Immunity chapter in Cambridge O Level Biology.

Concepts related to Phagocyte

• lymphocyte
• phagocytosis
• Antibody

Common mistakes with Phagocyte

• "Antibodies engulf pathogens." Antibodies are proteins. A protein cannot surround and swallow anything. Phagocytes are cells, and they engulf. Write Antibodies bind to antigens, which can clump pathogens together or mark them so that phagocytes engulf and digest them.
• "Phagocytes produce specific antibodies." Phagocytes are non-specific and do not produce antibodies. Lymphocytes do. Write Lymphocytes produce specific antibodies and form memory cells; phagocytes engulf and digest pathogens.