4. Distinguish between intracellular and extracellular digestion.
The differences between intracellular and extracellular digestion are as follows
Intracellular digestion | Extracellular digestion |
The process of digestion of food takes place inside the living cell. | The process of digestion of food takes place outside the living cell (but within the alimentary canal's cavity) |
The digestive enzymes are produced by the cytoplasm and are entered into the food vacuole. | The digestive enzymes are secreted by specialised cells of the alimentary canal. |
The products of digestion are diffused through the cytoplasm. | The products of digestion diffuse through the intestinal wall into the body parts. |
Mostly seen in unicellular animals. Ex: Amoeba. | Mostly seen in multicellular animals. Ex: Fungi. |