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Flagellar surface morphology ofChlamydomonas eugametos

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Summary

Flagellar surfaces ofChlamydomonas eugametos fixed in OsO4 were compared to those fixed in glutaraldehyde by scanning and transmission electron microscopical techniques. They appeared to be quite different. Flagella fixed in OsO4 had a pleated membrane that vesiculated when Tris was present during fixation. Flagella fixed in glutaraldehyde of various concentrations and buffer strengths, appeared to have disc-bearing appendages which were continuous with the membrane. On growing flagella the appendages occurred after 2 hours and they increased in size and complexity during the next 3 to 4 hours. No structural differences were observed between flagella of vegetative cells and those of gametes. Mating competence of gametes appeared to parallel the development of “mature” appendage-bearing flagella. The possibility that membrane vesicles, found in the cell culture medium, are derived from the flagellar appendages is discussed.

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Author notes

  1. D. A. M. Mesland

    Present address: Laboratory for Plant Physiology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    D. A. M. Mesland

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  1. D. A. M. Mesland
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Mesland, D.A.M. Flagellar surface morphology ofChlamydomonas eugametos . Protoplasma 93, 311–323 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01275662

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01275662

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