THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE PELLICLE COMPLEX OF EUGLENA GRACILIS

Abstract

The pellicle complex of E. gracilis is composed of the cell membrane, the ridge and groove with the notch, four fibrils, and the subpellicular ER. The cell membrane is of unit membrane configuration and covers the outside of the cell, the cytostome, the gullet, and the reservoir. The notch of the pellicle complex has always a close topographic relationship to two particular fibrils, as well as the subpellicular ER. The gullet is that region between the reservoir and the cytostome which, in addition to longitudinal fibrils, is surrounded by a single row of circular fibrils. The circumference of the cytostome has twenty large pellicular ridges alternating with small pellicular ridges. Alternating tall and small pellicular ridges cover the entire cell during division.