Fig. 5. Four of the 5 phases of phagocytosis: adherence, ingestion, digestion, and excretion. As the first step of phagocytosis, a phagocyte's pseudopod adheres to the surface of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and gradually wraps the mycobacterium entirely. The pseudopod wrapped mycobacterium is then brought inside the phagocyte, into a structure called a phagosome. Fusion of phagosomes with lysosomes enable the destruction of the phagocytosed pathogens. However, several microorganisms have evolved ways to defeat this process. Mycobacterium inhibits phagolysosomal fusion by the mycobacteria-produced sulfatides.