A cellular extension of amoeboid cells used in moving and feeding is called?

• A. Pseudopodia
• B. Cilia
• C. Flagella
• D. Microvilli

Answer: (A)

Pseudopodia are cytoplasmic extensions that amoeboid cells form to move and feed. They arise when actin filaments rearrange under the cell membrane, pushing the membrane outward to create a temporary projection. The cell then streams its cytoplasm into the projection, allowing the entire cell to crawl forward—this is the amoeboid movement. For feeding, the pseudopodium can surround a particle and the cell engulfs it by phagocytosis. In contrast, cilia are short, hairlike structures that beat to move fluids or the cell itself, flagella are longer whip-like tails used for swimming, and microvilli are tiny surface projections that increase absorption area. Because the described extension directly supports both movement and phagocytic feeding, it fittingly is called a pseudopodium.