Mating in Chlamydomonas eugametos. A scanning electron microscopical study.
A technique has been developed by which mating gametes of Chlamydomonas eugametos can be studied in the Scanning Electron Microscope. A detailed description of the mating process, from the initial flagellar agglutination until the release of free vis-à-vis pairs, is presented. Flagella appear to agglutinate at random points on their surface. This is followed by a rapid increase of the contact area such that they "line-up" tip to tip. Flagella always exhibit a typical position prior to cell fusion. After cell fusion the flagella of a pair separate rapidly while the female have shortened about 33%. In a vis-à-vis pair the  plasma bridge has contracted. The observations are interpreted in terms of a specific reorganization of the sexuale aggregate.
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002696:Chlamydomonas / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005407:Flagella / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male