Final answer:
Opsonization is the process of coating microorganisms with opsonins to mark them for destruction by immune cells, enhancing phagocytosis. This biological mechanism is vital in the immune system's ability to identify and eliminate pathogens effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
Coating a microorganism with molecules that allow its destruction by immune cells is known as opsonization. This process involves the coating of a pathogen with a chemical substance, known as an opsonin, which enhances recognition by the immune system.
Specifically, phagocytic cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils have receptors that can bind to the opsonins (like antibodies and complement proteins) on the microorganism. The binding of opsonins to the microorganism facilitates the process of phagocytosis, where the immune cells engulf and ultimately destroy the pathogen. Opsonization also works in synergy with other immune mechanisms like complement fixation, thereby promoting the rapid clearing of pathogens.