The myxomycetePerichaena vermicularishas been fixed with formaldehydendash;glutaraldehyde at various stages of fruiting and the distribution of beta;-glycerophosphatase determined at the electron microscope level using a modified Gomori procedure. Specimens from various stages of the developing fruiting body when incubated for 70ndash;105ensp;min at 39 deg;C in a medium containing beta;-glycerophosphate showed good localization of reaction product. High beta;-glycerophosphatase activity was localized in single-membrane-bound vacuoles at all stages of fruiting body formation. These vacuoles are similar to lysosomes of animals, higher plants, and fungi in that they are surrounded by a single membrane, contain cell components at various stages of disintegration, and have a high acid phosphatase activity.Reaction product was also localized in the walls of mature spores and was variably associated with nuclei and mitochondria. Most probably the staining of some nuclei and mitochondria is a lead absorption artifact.
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