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These amoeba-like cells are a type of phagocyte called macrophages. They're scavenger cells that can form tentacles called pseudopods to surround and ingest foreign cells.
Once swallowed, the cells are walled off and destroyed by a bag of digestive enzymes.
Review Date 3/31/2024
Updated by: Deborah Pedersen, MD, MS, Allergy & Asthma Care, PC, Taunton, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
