A partially filled contractile vacuole is connected to two regions of spongiome tubules. The extra CV membrane is acquired from these spongiomes. Presumably some of these spongiome tubules are decorat...

The 11 micrographs of the group are views of a serially-sectioned contracted Vorticella convallaria cell that show the main features of this cell. This figure shows 1 food vacuole; micronucleus; contr...

The 11 micrographs of the group are views of a serially-sectioned contracted Vorticella convallaria cell that show the main features of this cell. This figure shows the edge of last food vacuole in se...

The 11 micrographs of the group are views of a serially-sectioned contracted Vorticella convallaria cell that show the main features of this cell. This figure shows 3 food vacuoles; 2 segments of the ...

Halteria grandinella is a fresh water oligotrich ciliate. It lacks long rows of somatic cilia called kineties but has a few somatic ciliary bristles as well as a well developed oral and adoral or peri...

The contractile vacuole pore is coated on its cytosolic side by helically wound microtubules. Other microtubules abut this helix and extend out to the surface of the contractile vacuole where they are...

High resolution image of a longitudinal section through one of the radial arms of the contractile vacuole complex displaying two rows of openings from the smooth spongiome into the collecting canal. T...

Collecting canal of the contractile vacuole complex. Normally the collecting canal is expanded when the CV is in systole. In this micrograph the collecting canal is empty so that its two sides are fla...

The decorated spongiome of the CVC is composed of 50nm tubules that have a pattern of helically wound subunits attached to their cytosolic surfaces. These tubules can be up to one micrometer or more i...

The contractile vacuole pore is supported on its cytosolic side by a coil of microtubules and other microtubules extend from the pore to the CV membrane. The plasma membrane and CV membrane cover the ...