What Are the Parts of an Amoeba Proteus?

An amoeba is a microscopic single-celled organism that is often known for its unique movement; it appears to "flow" as if in water. The amoeba proteus is the most common kind of amoeba. This is the simplest form of living organism, but there are still many things scientists do not know about the amoeba proteus. One thing that is known is its anatomy, which is fairly simple and does not contain many parts.

Cell Wall

• Amoebas are made up of a single cell which has a cell wall, or membrane. Amoebas do not have bones, thus the cell wall is what gives the organism its structure. The cell wall protects the amoeba and serves to hold its inner parts together. Because this wall is flexible, the amoeba proteus can form many different shapes, but none with sharp edges.

  The cell wall is how the amoeba eats its food. The cell wall wraps itself around its prey and absorbs it in order to obtain nutrients. The cell wall also plays an important role in reproduction as the amoeba splits itself into two separate cells to form a new cell.

Cytoplasm

• The single cell of the amoeba is filled with cytoplasm, which is a soft, jelly-like substance. The outer edges of the cytoplasm, those closest to the cell wall, are harder than that which is closer to the inside of the cell. The hard outer layer of cytoplasm is called "sol." When the amoeba moves, the sol can become soft and the soft jelly can firm into sol.

Organelles

• Unlike more complex organisms, the amoeba proteus does not have internal organs, but rather organelles, which literally means "little organs." The organelles are suspended within the cytoplasm and float around as the amoeba moves. Some of the organelles in an amoeba proteus are food vacuoles, which serve to store the food that the amoeba has consumed. There is also an organelle called the "contractile vacuole" which serves to pump the water inside the amoeba proteus to the outside.

Nucleus

• The most important organelle in the amoeba proteus is the nucleus, which is like the "command center" of the cell. It is what reacts to the outside environment and causes the cell to move, split and eat. The nucleus is surrounded by its own membrane, called a "nuclear membrane." This serves to protect the nucleus.