An endocytosis process that results in the engulfment of external particulate material by phagocytes. The particles are initially contained within phagocytic vacuoles (phagosomes), which then fuse with primary lysosomes to effect digestion of the particles.

Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell or an organism (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of detection of, or exposure to, a hyperosmotic environment, i.e. an environment with a higher concentration of solutes than the organism or cell.

Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of deprivation of nourishment.

The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the sorocarp over time, from its formation to the mature structure. The process begins with the aggregation of individual cells and ends with the mature sorocarp. The sorocarp is a structure containing a spore-bearing sorus that sits on top of a stalk. An example of this process is found in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Any process involved in the controlled self-propelled movement of a cell that results in translocation of the cell from one place to another.

The assembly of actin filament bundles; actin filaments are on the same axis but may be oriented with the same or opposite polarities and may be packed with different levels of tightness.

The process in which two or more actin filaments are connected together by proteins that act as crosslinks between the filaments. The crosslinked filaments may be on the same or differing axes.

The part of the cytoplasm that does not contain organelles but which does contain other particulate matter, such as protein complexes.

A filamentous structure formed of a two-stranded helical polymer of the protein actin and associated proteins. Actin filaments are a major component of the contractile apparatus of skeletal muscle and the microfilaments of the cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells. The filaments, comprising polymerized globular actin molecules, appear as flexible structures with a diameter of 5-9 nm. They are organized into a variety of linear bundles, two-dimensional networks, and three dimensional gels. In the cytoskeleton they are most highly concentrated in the cortex of the cell just beneath the plasma membrane.

The area of a motile cell closest to the direction of movement.