Question

The false feet of Amoeba are used for

A. Movement only

B. Capture of food only

C. Capture of food and movement

D. Exchange of gases

Answer 1

Hint: Amoeba is a single-celled protozoan. False feet of Amoeba is known as pseudopodia. Amoeba is a single celled eukaryotic organism. All the body functions are carried out by the one cell. It has no shape.

Complete answer:

A pseudopod or pseudopodia is a temporary arm-like projection of a eukaryotic cell membrane that is developed in the direction of movement. Filled with cytoplasm, pseudopodia primarily consist of actin filaments and may also contain microtubules and intermediate filaments.

Option A: Amoeba uses pseudopodia for ingestion also. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option B: Amoeba uses pseudopodia for locomotion also. Therefore, this is the  incorrect option.

Option C: Amoeba uses false feet for capture of food and movement. This is the correct answer.

Pseudopodia are the extensions of their cytoplasm which helps them to capture food and move. In detection of food, they extend false foot and surround the food molecule. This form a membrane-surrounded sac called food vacuole around the food. The food is then processed by digestive enzymes inside the cell. Amoeba can move in all directions using these false feet. The cell content/cytoplasm flows to the direction of travel as false feet. Pseudopodia get structural stability with the help of actin and myosin. Morphologically, pseudopodia is classified into four types, filopodia (thin and thread like), Lobopodia (finger shaped), reticulopodia (network like) and axopodia (supported by microtubules and used for ingestion of food). 

The cells which use pseudopodia for locomotion or ingestion are called amoeboid cells. Human macrophages are an example of this.

Option D: false feet do not have gas exchange functions. Therefore this is the incorrect option.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: A food vacuole which functions as a storage unit is present in Amoeba which is formed when the food is ingested.