A micrograph showing the partially open cytoproct of Colpoda cucullus. The alveoli stop at the edges of the cytoproct and filamentous material (actin?) coats the inside of the single membrane that cov...

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...

High resolution image of a colchicine-treated cell, used in an attempt to disrupt its microtubules. We found that microtubules already formed are not disrupted in Paramecium multimicronucleatum. This ...

Cytosolic pressure may be one force used to expel the undigested contents from spent vacuoles, however, tubulation and retrieval of the spent vacuole membrane will ultimately eliminate all of the vacu...

High resolution image of the somatic basal bodies along the sides of the cytoproct ridge have bundles of microtubules extending into the endoplasm from near their proximal ends. These bundles make con...

The somatic basal bodies along the sides of the cytoproct ridge have bundles of microtubules extending into the endoplasm from near their proximal ends. These bundles make contact with the spent vacuo...

In defecation, when a spent vacuole has fused with the single membrane along the midline of the ridge the lips of the cytoproct split apart and form a wide gap. The membrane of the spent vacuole is no...

b-tubulin immunogold labeled microtubules arise from the apex of the cytoproct ridge and pass to the spent DV membrane. Trichocyst and trichocyst tip included in this image. TEM taken on 7/5/96 by R. ...

High resolution image of the cytoproct is the site of spent vacuole defecation on the surface of Paramecium. When closed the cytoproct forms a long narrow wavy ridge along the posterior suture. At its...

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...