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Nature Cell Biology 5, 776–778 (1 September 2003) | doi:10.1038/ncb0903-776

Phagosomes, fatty acids and tuberculosis

David G. Russell

Phagocytosis — the engulfment of particles by unicellular organisms and higher eukaryotic cells — was first observed and documented by Metchnikoff around the beginning of the last century. His observations with macrophages persuaded him that these professional phagocytes were the primary defence against microbial invaders.