What is exocytosis?

Exocytosis is when cells send things out like they're giving gifts to their neighbors.

Imagine you have a bag full of candies, and you want to share them with your friends outside the classroom. You open a window, and one by one, you hand each candy through the window, that's kind of how exocytosis works!

Inside a cell, there are little packages called vesicles, which carry things like proteins or waste. When the cell wants to send something out, the vesicle moves to the surface of the cell and merges with the outside, just like you handing a candy through the window.

Cells use exocytosis all the time! For example, when your skin makes sweat, it uses this process to let the sweat go from inside your body to the outside. Or when your mouth makes saliva, that’s also exocytosis in action!

So next time you feel a little sweaty or notice your mouth watering, remember, it's all thanks to exocytosis!