What is the process by which a cell releases large amounts of material?

Exocytosis is the process by which a cell expels large amounts of material. During this process, vesicles containing substances fuse with the cell membrane, allowing their contents to be released into the extracellular space. This mechanism is crucial for various cellular functions, such as neurotransmitter release in neurons, secretion of hormones by glands, and the transport of proteins and lipids to the cell surface.

In contrast, endocytosis refers to the uptake of materials into the cell, which is the opposite of what exocytosis does. Phagocytosis is a specific form of endocytosis where the cell engulfs large particles or even other cells, often for the purpose of digestion or defense. Metabolism encompasses all chemical reactions within a cell, including both catabolic and anabolic pathways, but it does not specifically refer to the transport of materials across the cell membrane.