In three to five sentences, compare the process of diguesting food in an amoeba (unicellular) to those in a mouse (multicellular).
The process of digesting food in an amoeba is fairly simple. It engulfs its food through phagocytosis, forming a food vacuole where digestion takes place. The vacuole fuses with lysosomes to break down the food particles, and the nutrients are then absorbed into the cell.
On the other hand, the process of digesting food in a mouse is much more complex. The mouse chews its food to increase surface area for enzymatic action, then it is mixed with saliva to begin starch digestion. Swallowed food moves through the esophagus into the stomach where further enzymatic breakdown takes place. The resulting chyme then passes into the small intestine, where the majority of absorption occurs through the lining of the intestine.
Unlike the amoeba, a mouse's digestive system also includes accessory organs like the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. The liver produces bile to emulsify fats, the gallbladder stores it, and the pancreas secretes pancreatic enzymes that further break down food in the small intestine. The process is highly organized and requires the coordination of various organs.