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Locomotion and General Structure
Natural Habitat
Reproduction
Endocystosis
Taxonomy and Lab Observations
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Amoebas move by extending a finger of protoplasm called pseudopods ("false foot").
There is normally three distinct regions that the amoeba shows during locomotion:
the pseudopodia; a central zone from which the pseudopodia originates and the
uroid, which forms the posterior part of the amoeba. But the cell may look like
one-long forward moving pseudopodium with no distinction between the pseudopodia
and the central zone. When the pseudopodia enlarges the protoplasm and nucleus
flow into it as the remainder of the cells contracts behind it.
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An amoeba extending its pseudopodium (adapted from Biology of Amoeba by Kwang Jeon) |
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General Structure
Amoebas are single-celled eukaryotic organisms. The cytoplasm of the amoeba shows three different regions: the hyaline cytoplasm, plasmagel and plasmasol. The "ectoplasm" pertains to the hyaline cytoplasm, while the "endoplasm" refers to both the plasmagel and plasmasol. The plasmagel contains the small granules, vesicles, mitochondria, crystals and heavy spherical bodies. Inside the plasmagel is the plasmasol which contains the nucleus. The nucleus is the "blueprint" of the cell's activities. When one cuts the amoeba in half, the half with the nucleus may survive and reproduce, but the other soon dies.
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Check this link out!!!
This video shows an amoeba extending its pseudopodia as it is moving through water. It is shot under a magnification of 200x.
Click here!
Another video link!!!
This video shows the streaming pseudopodia of an amoeba. It is shot under a magnification of 400x.
Click here!
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