Final answer:
Clathrin coats the plasma membrane and assists in forming a vesicle during phagocytosis. After engulfing the particle, clathrin disengages and the vesicle merges with a lysosome to digest the material before excreting waste products via an endosome.
Step-by-step explanation:
Clathrin plays a critical role in membrane deformation during phagocytosis. Initially, clathrin coats a targeted portion of the inward-facing surface of the plasma membrane. This clathrin coating stabilizes the membrane and initiates the formation of a vesicle. In this process, endocytosis is facilitated by clathrin which assembles into a lattice structure, promoting the invagination of the membrane.
Following the initial coating, the membrane starts to extend and wrap around the intended particle, enclosing it within a newly formed vesicle. An important protein called dynamin, along with other proteins, helps to shape the vesicle by pinching off the invaginated coated pit through GTP hydrolysis, which is not shown in some illustrations.
Upon successful enclosure, clathrin is released from the membrane, allowing the vesicle to merge with a lysosome. This merging facilitates the breakdown and eventual release of nutrients. The vesicular contents are further processed into an endosome, which later merges with the plasma membrane to expel any waste into the extracellular fluid, thus maintaining cellular homeostasis.