Protist

Amoeba Description

A protozoan; Kingdom Protista; microscopic unicellular organisms; comes from the Greek word amoibe which means change; don't fit into other kingdoms, considered an animal-like protist because it moves and consumed food; no ameba looks the same as any other

Phylum Ciliophora

All members move by cilia

Amoeba Food

By pushing the endoplasm toward the cell membrane, the ameba causes it's body to extend and creep along, the ameba consumes its food. The pseudopodia extend out and wrap around a food particle in a process called phagocytosis. The engulfed food then becomes a food vacuole, the food will eventually be digested by the cell's lysosomes.

Amoeba Cell Membrane

Cell Membrane is very flexible and allows for the ameba to change shape; allows pseudopodia

Euglena Pellicle

Has a stiff pellicle outside the cell membrane that helps it keep its shape. Somewhat flexible; some euglena can be observed scrunching up and moving in an inchworm type fashion.

Euglena Food

Heterotrophic and autotrophic. Chloroplast used for photosynthesis. Eyespot: Euglena have an eyespot at the anterior end that detects light, it can be seen near the reservoir. Helps the euglena find bright area to gather sunlight to make their food. Can also gain nutrients by absorbing them across their cell membrane. They become heterotrophic when light is not available, and they cannot photosynthesize.

Amoeba Environment

Live in ponds or puddles, or can even live inside people

Paramecium Environment

Live in quiet or stagnant ponds

Euglena Environment

Live in quiet ponds or puddles

Amoeba Nucleus

contains the ameba's DNA

Paramecium Macronucleus

controls respiration, protein synthesis, and digestion

Paramecium Pellicle

The paramecium cannot change its shape like the amoeba because it has the pellicle (a think outer membrane); surrounds the cell membrane

Paramecium Food

They feed on algal scum and other microorganism; must consume food for their energy. Oral groove: the indented area where food enters the paramecium Mouth Pore: where food enters the paramecium Gullet: where food goes after the mouth more. At the end of the gullet, food vacuoles are formed; they then remain in the cytoplasm until the food is digested. Anal Pore: where undigested food particles are eliminated

Paramecium Defenses

Trichocysts: How they respond to temperature, food, oxygen, and toxins. Just inside the pellicle; threadlike organelles. The paramecium can shoot tiny threads out of the cell to entangle a predator or to make themselves appear bigger. Known to exhibit avoidance behavior (they will move away from negative or unpleasant stimulus)

Paramecium Reproduction

Uses conjugation (a method of sexual reproduction in other microorganisms). Involves the exchanging of DNA within the micronucleus; two paramecium lie side by side and join at the mouth pore.

Amoeba Reproduction

Uses mitosis, where the nucleus duplicates its genetic material and the cytoplasm splits into two new daughter cells, each identical to the original parent. This method is called binary fission.

Amebic Dysentery

A common disease caused by the ameba. A person becomes infected by drinking contaminated water. The ameba then upsets the person's digestive system and causes cramps and diarrhea. A person is most likely to be infected in countries where the water is not filtered or purified

Nucleus

Contains the cell's DNA and controls the cell's activities. Nucleolus within the nucleus.

Amoeba Cyst

During unfavorable condition, the ameba can create a cyst, this hard-walled body can exist for a long period of time until conditions became favorable again. Often created during cold or dry periods where the ameba could not survive in its normal condition.

Protist Cytoplasm

Endoplasm- the darker, denser cytoplasm toward the interior of the protozoan Ectoplasm- the clear cytoplasm that is found near the cell membrane

Paramecium Movement

Move by Cilia (tiny hair-like projections)

Euglena Movement

Move by a flagellum (a long whip-like structure that acts like a little motor and twirls in such a way as to pull the cell through the water); located on the anterior (front) end Reservoir: an inward pocket where the flagellum is attached

Amoeba Movement

Move by creeping along by stretching it's cytoplasm into fingerlike extensions called pseudopodia (means "false foot"). By pushing the endoplasm toward the cell membrane, the ameba causes it's body to extend and creep along. Helps with phagocytosis.

Contractile Vacuole

Pumps out excess water so that the ameba does not burst. Shaped like a star. Used in animal cells.

Protozoans

Some are considered plant-like while others are considered animal-like. Classified by how they move (like cilia, flagella, pseudopodia, etc;).

Euglena Description

unicellular organisms; Kingdom Protista; Phylum Euglenophyta; autotrophic and heterotrophic

Paramecium Description

unicellular protozoans; phylum Ciliophora; Kingdom Protista; are an essential part of the food chain; heterotrophs

Paramecium Micronucleus

used only during reproduction