Microtubules and microfilaments as major components of a phagocytic apparatus: the cytopharyngeal basket of the ciliate Pseudomicrothorax dubius.
The cytopharyngeal basket of Pseudomicrothorax dubius, through which filamentous blue-green algae are ingested, consists of 22 (+/- 3) nemadesmata and nemadesmal lamellae, in the form of a tube. A cytostome, delimited by the cell membrane and surrounded by 22 (+/- 3) major and minor cortical corrugations, covers the end of the basket where the latter is attached to the cell cortex. Each nemadesm, at its greatest diameter, consists of about 200 microtubules which are joined together by sheet-like cross-bridges. The cross-bridges appear to be responsible for the high structural resilience of the nemadesmata. Each nemadesmal lamella is a ribbon of 20--30 microtubules, with two arm-like structures associated with one side of each microtubule. The arms are partially embedded in a fine filamentous layer. Except for a perforated zone, the wall of the basket is completely closed due to the presence of a filamentous sheath which extends between adjacent nemadesmata. Absence of the sheath allows movement of vesicles between the cytoplasm and the lumen of the basket in the perforated zone. The sheath is capable of elastic stretching during food uptake.
D000818:Animals; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000502:physiology*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000502:physiology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis