Invagination facts for kids

Invagination is the infolding of one part within another part of a structure, a folding that creates a pocket. The term, originally used in embryology, has been adopted in other disciplines as well. It has many meanings in each term or subject.

Biology

• Invagination is the morphogenetic processes by which an embryo takes form, and is the initial step of gastrulation, the massive reorganization of the embryo from a simple spherical ball of cells, the blastula, into a multi-layered organism, with differentiated germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. More localized invaginations also occur later in embryonic development,
• The inner membrane of a mitochondrion invaginates to form cristae, thus providing a much greater surface area to accommodate the protein complexes and other participants that produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
• Invagination occurs during endocytosis and exocytosis when a vesicle forms within the cell and the membrane closes around it.
• Invagination of a part of the intestine into another part is called intussusception.

Images for kids

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  Mechanism of Invagination

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  Invagination process in Amphioxus

See also

In Spanish: Invaginación para niños