It all began with my 9th grade biology school project on Amoeba when I sat and thought, “wouldn’t it be nice to actually see this Protist to its finest detail?” My adventure commenced here and this simple 9th grade biology project became much more than an enhancement of knowledge. It became an interaction with the hidden mysteries in this world.

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Introduction – What is the Amoeba?

Amoebas move using a primitive form of locomotion using their pseudopodia (false feet). The pseudopodia are formed as a result of cytoplasmic extension. With the Amoeba’s absence of mouth, it uses its pseudopodia to follow prey. Its cytoplasm extends and engulfs surrounding food particles which are then digested by enzymes.

Amoeba proteus in Action – What did I see?

Under the spectacular foldscope microscope I observed an Amoeba proteus engulfing Chilomonas (its prey) using its extended pseudopodia. I also observed this unicellular organism’s form of locomotion and constant shape changing as it extended its pseudopodia to follow its prey, which were in fact rushing around it. There was a time when the Amoeba proteus was engulfing two Chilomonas simultaneously with separate pseudopodia extensions. I could vividly see the Amoeba’s protoplasmic streaming – the movement of fluid within an animal or a plant. Among the organelles within this protoplasm were contractile vacuoles which played a role in excreting excess waste after the Amoeba’s digestion.

Take A Close Look at the Video that I Took of the Amoeba proteus in Order to Visualize my Observations

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Thank you Dr. Lakshmin for introducing me to the fascinating world of the Foldscope