Biology · Locomotion and Movement · NEET
Both. NCERT clearly says human cells also show amoeboid movement. In our body, macrophages and leucocytes (white blood cells) in the blood move using this method. The name comes from Amoeba, but the movement itself happens inside us too. NEET often traps students who think it is only a protozoan feature.
Only specialised cells: macrophages and leucocytes (WBCs). Remember this exact pair for NEET. These cells crawl toward germs and dead material to engulf them. This is why WBCs can leave blood vessels and reach infected tissue.
Pseudopodia are formed by the streaming of protoplasm, exactly as in Amoeba. Cytoskeletal elements called microfilaments (made of actin) are also involved. So the answer NEET wants is: streaming of protoplasm plus microfilaments. Note it is microfilaments, not microtubules.
At the cell level it is a type of cellular movement. Streaming of protoplasm in Amoeba is given by NCERT as a simple form of movement. When the whole Amoeba changes place using pseudopodia, that becomes locomotion. For NEET, macrophage/leucocyte crawling is listed under the three types of cellular movement (amoeboid, ciliary, muscular).
Microfilaments. Amoeboid movement uses cytoskeletal microfilaments (actin). Do not confuse this with cilia and flagella, which use microtubules. This single word is a favourite NEET trap.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Amoeboid, ciliary and muscular. This exact three-way classification is directly from NCERT and is high-yield for NEET.
Pseudopodia (meaning 'false feet') are temporary finger-like projections of the cell formed by the streaming of protoplasm. The cell uses them to crawl and to engulf food or germs.
Microfilaments. These are cytoskeletal elements (made of actin) that, along with protoplasmic streaming, drive amoeboid movement.
So they can crawl out of blood vessels into tissues, chase bacteria and dead cells, and engulf them. This crawling defence action is why the body relies on amoeboid movement of WBCs.
Amoeboid movement uses pseudopodia and microfilaments in macrophages/leucocytes. Ciliary movement uses tiny hair-like cilia (with microtubules) in the lining of tubular organs like the trachea and reproductive tract.
