Correct Sequence of Phagocytosis Stages

Steps:

• Receptors on macrophage surface bind to bacterium, initiating recognition (step 5).
• Macrophage engulfs bacterium, enclosing it in a vacuole (phagosome) (step 4).
• Lysosome fuses with vacuole, delivering enzymes (step 2).
• Digestive enzymes break down bacterium inside phagolysosome (step 1).
• Macrophage processes or utilizes vacuole contents post-digestion (step 3).

Why C is correct:

• C (5→4→2→1→3) follows the standard phagocytosis process: recognition, engulfment, fusion, digestion, and utilization.

Why the others are wrong:

• A starts with unclear "uses vacuole" (3), skipping recognition.
• B begins with engulfment (4) without binding, illogical.
• D places utilization (3) before digestion (1), reversing breakdown order.

Final answer: C