Electron Microscopy of Pinocytosis and Food Vacuoles in Pelomyxa*

Abstract

SYNOPSIS.Food vacuoles have been studied in various stages of the digestive process in cultures of Pelomyxa carolinensis and P. illinoisensis after feeding Tetrahymena and Paramecium. The vacuole wall formed immediately after capture of the food organism may be only 100 m/i thick. The changes observed in the food organisms indicate that first the membranes of the pellicle are ruptured, then mitochondria, cytoplasmic matrix, and nucleus are attacked; cilia and trichocysts are more resistant. The food vacuole membrane is involved first in the removal of water from the vacuole, then in transfer of cytoplasmic fluid into the vacuole, and finally in removal of digestion products from ihe vacuole by pinocyt. Vesicles which have been derived from the plasnulf—a b pinocytosis have been observed. They characteristically have a non‐turgid, non‐spherical appearance when located deep m the cytoplasm and are stainable with phosphotungstic acid. Pinocytosis and the function of food vacuole membranes are discussed. It is concluded that at leait two factors contribute to the benefits derived by amoebae from pinocytosis: (1) modification of the plasmalemma membrane near the time when it becomes the pinocytic vesicle membrane, and (2) increased surface area for diffusion.