Quick-freeze deep-etch rotary-shadowed replica of a portion of the chemically-unfixed cytopharynx. The cytopharynx is continuous with the plasma membrane and is covered by only one membrane which is p...

The E-fracture faces of the plasma membrane and cytopharyngeal membranes are continuous but differ in appearance since the cytopharyngeal membrane is studded with IMPs while the plasma membrane has fe...

Detail of the filamentous reticulum along the left side of the cytopharynx from which cytopharyngeal ribbons arise next to its nodes. Quadrulus associated ribbons lie between the filamentous reticulum...

A view of the cytopharynx and its nascent food vacuole forming region. The flattened pharyngeal vesicles that may contain monolayers or bilayers of lipids seem to be equivalent to the discoidal vesicl...

A contractile vacuole in systole. The CV has collapsed into vesicles and tubules. Three CV pores can be seen where the CV meets the pellicle. Smooth membrane cisterna surrounds some cytoplasm, possibl...

Cytopharyngeal basket in tangential section is composed of a complex of microtubular rods. The lumen of the basket contains many vesicles called cytopharyngeal vesicles. They may provide membrane for ...

The top of the cytopharyngeal basket showing a closed cytostome where food will be engulfed. In the lab Nassula was fed Phormidium inundatum, a cyanobacterium. Ingested food is seen in food vacuoles a...

Cross section through the more anterior part of the oral region showing the four more loosely spaced rows of cilia making up the quadrulus and more compact cilia of the peniculi on the left hand wall ...

Cross section of the oral region (buccal cavity) posterior to the vestibulum. The cytopharynx is beginning on the dorsal surface and the ribbed wall, peniculi and quadrulus are present on the right an...

A cross section of the cell (ventral side up) through the buccal cavity showing basal bodies of the 3 membranelles (1, 2 and 3) lying along the indented dorsal wall. A short segment of the oral ribs s...