Ciliates such as Paramecium have specialized sites for endocytosis and exocytosis. Most of their surface is not available for internalization of membrane because of the underlying alveolar sac system....

Sections show the origin of one cytopharyngeal ribbon of 12 microtubules from the nodes and show the tight curve the ribbon follows over the cytostomal cord. These ribbons move discoidal vesicles, aci...

One segment of the assembly line used for phagosome membrane growth in P. caudatum. Cytopharyngeal ribbons bring discoidal vesicles to the left lip of the cytopharynx where the vesicles bind and then ...

Detail of the origin of the cytopharyngeal microtubules along the left side of the cytopharynx that arise within the filamentous reticulum in contact with its electron-opaque nodes. This system does n...

The cytoproct is the cell’s defecation site where spent digestive vacuoles fuse with the plasma membrane. In this cell the cytoproct is closed and forms a ridge along the posterior suture on the ven...

Kinetodesmal fibers arise from the proximal ends of the basal bodies and curve upward and to the cell’s right of the kinety. Together with kds arising from more posterior basal bodies they form a st...

Stacks of 4 or 5 kinetodesmal fibers occupy the longitudinal ridges in a cross-sectioned cell. The kds lie along the right side of each ridge (cell’s left side), and as the kds are tapered, the smal...

The highest concentration of parasomal sacs is found in the oral region associated with the three ciliary membranelles, called in Paramecium, the ventral amd dorsal peniculi and the quadrulus. This mi...

A bundle of microtubules that arises from a basal body adjacent to the cytoproct comes to lie along a spent DV-IV. The assumption is that movement generated by molecular motors propels the spent vacuo...

Paramecium caudatum is a peniculine oligohymenophoran ciliate that has numerous rows of cilia called kineties that run along the posterior to the anterior axis on the cell’s dorsal side but curve ar...