Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Test with focused study methods including flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Practice with hints and detailed explanations to boost your readiness for the exam.

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What is the process called when white blood cells consume bacteria and foreign particles?

Phagocytosis
Exocytosis
Endocytosis
Apoptosis

The correct answer is: Phagocytosis

Phagocytosis is the process by which certain cells, particularly white blood cells, engulf and digest bacteria, foreign particles, and other harmful invaders. This mechanism is essential for the immune response, allowing the body to protect itself from infections and maintain health. During phagocytosis, the cell membrane engulfs the target particle, forming a pocket that leads to the formation of a vesicle containing the ingested material. Enzymes then break down the engulfed particles, effectively destroying them. The other processes listed serve different functions: exocytosis involves the expulsion of materials from a cell, endocytosis generally refers to the process of taking substances into a cell (which includes phagocytosis as a specific type), and apoptosis is the programmed cell death that allows for the removal of unnecessary or damaged cells from the body. Understanding these distinctions highlights why phagocytosis specifically is the correct answer related to the immune function of white blood cells.