fagosito

Fagosito is a term encountered in some Spanish-language biology texts, but it is not universally standardized. The more common terms are fagocito, referring to the cell that carries out phagocytosis, and fagosoma or fagosoma, referring to the vesicle that contains ingested material. Depending on the source, “fagosito” may be used to mean either the phagocyte or the phagosome, so context is important for interpretation.

If the term fagosito is used to denote the phagosome, it describes the membrane-bound vesicle formed when a cell engulfs particles through phagocytosis. The particle is enclosed by the cell’s plasma membrane, creating a phagosome. Maturation involves acidification and trafficking that lead to fusion with lysosomes, producing a phagolysosome in which ingested material is degraded. Key molecular players include Rab GTPases, V-ATPases, and SNARE proteins that regulate vesicle fusion and maturation.

If fagosito is used to denote the phagocyte, it refers to cells capable of phagocytosis, such as macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. These fagocitos recognize, engulf, and destroy pathogens or debris, often using reactive oxygen species generated by the NADPH oxidase system. They also participate in antigen processing and presentation, linking innate and adaptive immunity.

In clinical and research contexts, proper terminology is important because defects in phagosome formation, maturation, or the oxidative burst can lead to susceptibility to infections (for example, conditions like chronic granulomatous disease or lysosomal trafficking disorders). Etymologically, the term derives from Greek phagein, meaning to eat, and soma, body.

Overall, fagosito-related terminology reflects two related concepts—the phagocyte as a cell and the phagosome as the vesicle—whose precise meaning depends on the source.