Digestion within a cell of an exogenous substance phagocytosed from the cell's environment. ... Origin: hetero-+ G. Phagein, to eat ... (05 Mar 2000) ... 
(het″әr-of´ә-je) the taking into a cell of exogenous material by phagocytosis or pinocytosis and the digestion of the ingested material after fusion of the newly formed vacuole with a lysosome.
Type: Term Pronunciation: het′ĕr-of′ă-jē Definitions: 1. Digestion within a cell of an exogenous substance phagocytosed from the cell's environment.
heterophage, heterophagous, heterophagy Feeding on a wide variety of food items; a reference to a parasite utilizing a wide variety of hosts.heterophagism, heterophagous, heterophagy Digestion within a cell of an exogenous substance phagocytosed from the cell’s environment.