By Aishani Balakumar
What is Amoeba?
Amoeba is a unicellular organism that has no fixed shape. They are usually found in freshwater, salt water, wet soil and inside of animals. Amoeba, just like animal cells, have a cell membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm, as shown in the picture below:
What do Amoebas Eat and how do they Reproduce?
Amoebas mainly eat algae, bacteria and plant cells. They form a food vacuole by surrounding tiny particles of food. This process is known as engulfing. The food vacuole then digests the food. An amoeba divide itself into two different cells when it reproduces. This is called a binary fission. Once the cells are split, there are two steps that happen to the two cells: first the nucleus in the cell splits. Then the cytoplasm also splits, leaving two identical cells.
What is Euglena?
Euglena is a unicellular organism, which is usually found in freshwater. Euglena, like particular plant cells, contains flagellum, nucleus, eye spot (stigma), chloroplast and a contractile vacuole as shown here:
What do Euglenas Eat and how do they Reproduce?
When euglenas do not have enough light to collect food, they will have to find different things to eat. They usually eat other microorganisms, including bacteria and algae by engulfing them. Just like amoebas, they also reproduce by the binary fission.
The Difference between the two Unicellular Organisms
Amoebas, animal cells, must find food to survive however can carry out photosynthesis as they have chloroplasts to produce their own food. Euglenas usually have a fixed, oval shape however amoebas have no fixed shape, which makes it easier for them to move out from one place to another. This makes the process of infecting something quicker. Even though both are unicellular organisms, euglenas are microscopic unicellular organisms, which means you can only see them through a microscope.
Do Humans reproduce similarly to Amoeba and Euglena?
In my opinion, I think that most aspects of the human reproductive system are very different to the way Amoeba and Euglena reproduce. Overall, even though this is different, it is essential that we know about different other animal cells and plant cells because as animal cells ourselves, other types of reproductive systems of different other cells occur in this world.