Endocytosis is the process through which a
cell ingests foreign particles and transports them into the cell, where it can be digested. It
accomplishes this by surrounding the target with plasma membrane, which it then uses to isolate
the foreign particle inside itself. The plasma membrane surrounds the living cell, protecting it
and functioning as a barrier between the cell and the outer environment. Cells also ingest and
"recycle" their own plasma membranes.
During endocytosis, the cell
sends out its plasma membrane to create a pocket around the particle it plans to ingest. The
cell uses only enough of the membrane to completely surround the particle. Then, the cell
"pinches off" the part of the plasma membrane that is covering the particle, creating
a new intracellular vesicle. This looks like a bubble inside the main cell with the particle at
the center. At that point the cell, is done with endocytosis and thus takes no further action
with its plasma membrane.
From there, the cell can take action to consume or
destroy the target particle. Various actions taken by the cell all have their own specific
names. An example is phagocytosis, where the cell "eats" whatever it took in during
the endocytosis process.
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