THE FINE STRUCTURE OF PELLICLE IN PROTOZOA ALVEOLATA AS REVEALED BY QUICK-FREEZE, DEEP-ETCHING

摘要

The overall organization of pellicle is quite homogeneous in the three examined representatives of Alveolata. They all share the presence of a membrane complex with a subplasmalemmal alveolar domain. There are however also relevant differences among the three models we have studied so far. Ciliates have a intra-alveolar dense plaque while plasmodium ookinetes and gregarines show an electron lucent alveolar lumen. Gregarines and ookinetes have pores connecting the supra-alveolar space with the cortical cytoplasm. Ciliates share with ookinetes the presence of sub-pellicular microtubules. The cell surface of both gregarines and ookinetes is coated by extracellular material. Multiple alveolar sacs are present in Ciliates while ookinetes and gregarines have only one alveolar sac sealed by a sinuous longitudinal suture.