Amoeba+-+NZ

= = = Introduction = toc Amoebas are like some criminals. Even though the whole world dislikes them from the few bad matters they had caused, some of them still have a good side. Amoebas are like this because even though they harm humans, they also save them by eating the bacteria. Amoebas have structures that allow them to eat. One way they eat is by their pseudopods on each side of their body. The function they use to move is one that continually changes their body shape, forming extensions called ** pseudopods **, into which, its body then flows. Yes, the amoeba does harm humans, but they do save them by eating the bad bacteria, which will be good for the humans, making them less sick.

= What is an Amoeba? =

You may ask, “what is an amoeba?” and I will tell you. The short definition for the amoeba- it's a single celled animal cell that catches food by the pseudopods, one on each side of the cell. They live in damp environments, maybe even in dirty lakes or ponds. They can be harmful and helpful in some ways.

= What does the Amoeba Look Like? =

You can’t really see the amoeba without a microscope, because it is 8 to 15 micrometers large. Small, right? If you see the amoeba, you will have to look at it very closely because you don't want to miss any of its structures. Amoebas have no hard parts, and look like blobs of jelly because of the **cytoplasm** in the cell. The amoeba’s shape always is changing. As the article, Amoeba, says, "Amoebas are so tiny that you need a microscope to see them." This states that amoebas are so petite and tiny that you are not able to see them just with the power of your eyes, but you can with a microscope.

Amoebas are so tiny that you need a microscope to



The **cell membrane** is the wall that surrounds the cytoplasm of the cell. The **nucleus** is the control center of the the cell, which tells the cell parts the functions they need to do. The pseudopods are only in the amoeboid cell, used for moving about and for surrounding and taking in food for the cell. The cytoplasm is the jellylike material that makes up much of a cell inside the cell membrane, and surrounds the nucleus. The **food vacuole** digests the food. And lastly, there is a **contractile vacuole** that excretes water and waste. This diagram above shows what the amoeba’s look like. It looks a lot like a blob of jelly moving around.

= Does the Amoeba Harm Humans? =

The amoebas can actually kill you by eating your brain. Let’s say you are the amoeba in the lake. You spot someone walking into the water, so you get closer to the water right next to the person. They go under the water, and you find your way swimming up their nose, along with the water. The body’s immune system tries to fight the amoeba out of their body, but the immune system is not responding to the amoeba, and isn’t able to fight it off. You reach the human’s brain, and slowly start to kill the human, by eating their brain. In the article, ‘Brain Eating Amoebas’, it said, “The microbe of the amoeba ultimately kills 97% of the people it infects." This means that most of the people that get the amoeba in their body end up dying. Humans and animals are infected by this both. Scary, right? You could be swimming in a lake and have an amoeba next to you that may eat your brain! Though, not all of the dangerous amoeba ' s are in the lake, but you do have to keep a lookout and be safe, and try not to dip your nose or head under the water. Click on this link to find more information about the amoeba harming humans- and what they cause: []

= How does the Amoeba Work? =

The amoeba moves by continually changing its body shape, forming extensions called pseudopods into which its body then flows. The water from the surrounding environment (from which the amoeba is in) flows through the amoebas ectoplasm by a process called osmosis. They spend most of their time at the bottom of plants in lakes or ponds, or they float freely in the water.

media type="youtube" key="7pR7TNzJ_pA" width="420" height="315" align="left"

This video shows how the amoeba moves around in the water source, and what it does to move. It is important because you need to know what it looks like when it freely moves around, and how it works.

= Conclusion =

Overall, amoebas can be good and bad. Even though they harm humans by eating their brains, they still can help you by eating the bacteria that may infect you if they don’t die. They have structures that help them function, and have their importance. Over time as we research about the amoeba, we will find more and more facts in articles, which will hopefully bring their importance higher. Even though they are really important right now.

= References =

Amoeba in Motion. YouTube. N.p., 30 Apr. 2008. Web. 3 Mar. 2016. . “Amoeba Proteus.” Biology Discussion. biologydiscussion.com, 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. . q=diagrams+of+amoeba&rlz=1CALEAC_enUS681US681&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=633&tbm=isch&imgil=5_R2f1gaeIywHM%253A%253BiXuJqZ840AFO6M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.biologydiscussion.com%25252Fparasites%25252Fthe-structure-and-life-cycle-of-amoeba-with-diagram%25252F2724&source=iu&pf=m&fir=5_R2f1gaeIywHM%253A%252CiXuJqZ840AFO6M%252C_&usg=__xD5OylfFAoUR1ULKGlXq5Ez-N40%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjojcW8gI7LAhWIcD4KHXQpC-gQyjcILg&ei=PmDMVuj2HIjh-QH00qzADg&safe=active&ssui=on#imgrc=nAs_IOyqJcNrQM%3A>. Karriem-Norwood, Varnada, ed. “Brain-Eating Amoeba.” WebMD. WebMD, 1 Feb. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. . Single-Celled Organisms Cochran, 1997. Video Segment Discovery Education. Web. 17/2/2016. . Skurie, Jaclyn. “What We Do—and Don’t—Know about Brain-Eating Amoebas.” National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 31 July 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. . “The Structure and Life Cycle of Amoeba (With Diagram).” Biology Discussion. Biology Discussion, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. . Wit, Lawrence C. “Ameba.” World Book Student. World Book, 2016. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.