Abstract
SECRETORY vesicles (‘trichocysts’) of Paramecium contain proteins1 which are discharged by exocytosis. In P. aurelia (mating type VIII), trichocysts are firmly attached to the cell membrane before the onset of exocytosis, and membrane-intercalated granules occur at these contact sites (Fig. 1); these granules are arranged in a regular pattern and have been described previously as ‘b-’ and ‘c-type granules’2. They are surrounded by a ring of ‘a-type granules’ which connect the cell membrane to the membrane of the alveolar sacs in the region where the latter are penetrated by the trichocysts2,3. When the trichocysts are expelled, the cell membrane is penetrated within the ring of a-type granules and the trichocyst membrane fuses temporarily with the cell membrane2. The present study takes advantage of several circumstances: (i) cells could be frozen without prefixation or cryoprotectants; (ii) exocytosis triggering involves only the final step of membrane fusion; (iii) the regular ‘landmarks’ in the plasmalemma serve to pinpoint intramembraneous changes occurring during exocytosis.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Pollack, S., and Steers, E., Expl Cell Res., 78, 186–190 (1973).
Plattner, H., Miller, F., and Bachmann, L., J. Cell Sci., 13, 687–719 (1973).
Bachmann, L., Schmitt, W. W., and Plattner, H., Proc. fifth European Congress on Electron Microscopy (edit. by Cosslett, V. E.), 244–245 (Institute of Physics, London, Bristol, 1972).
Caswell, A. H., and Pressman, B. C., Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun., 49, 292–298 (1972).
Rubin, R. P., Pharmacol. Rev., 22, 389–428 (1970).
Foreman, J. C., Mongar, J. L., and Gomperts, B. D., Nature, 245, 249–251 (1973).
Cochrane, D. E., and Douglas, W. W., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 71, 408–412 (1974).
Prince, W. T., Rasmussen, H., and Berridge, M. J., Biochim. biophys. Acta., 329, 98–107 (1973).
Naitoh, Y., and Eckert, R., in Cilia and Flagella (edit. by Sleigh, M. A.), 305–352 (Academic Press, London, New York, 1974).
Branton, D., Phil. Trans. R. Soc., Ser. B, 261, 133–138 (1971).
Satir, B., Schooley, C., and Satir, P., Nature, 235, 53–54 (1972).
Satir, B., Schooley, C., and Satir, P., J. Cell Biol., 56, 153–176 (1973).
Loewenstein, W. R., Fedn Proc., 32, 60–64 (1973).
Lucy, J. A., in Lysosomes in Biology and Pathology, 2 (edit. by Dingle, J. T. and Fell. H. B.). 313–341 (North Holland Publ. Co., Amsterdam, London, 1969).
Simionescu, M., Simionescu, N., and Palade, G. E., J. Cell Biol., 60, 128–152 (1974).
Smith, U., Ryan, J. W., and Smith, D. S., J. Cell Biol. . 56, 492–499 (1973).
Plattner, H., Winkler, H., Hörtnagl, H., and Pfaller, W., J. Ultrastruct. Res., 28, 191–202 (1969).
Smith, U., Smith, D. S., Winkler, H., and Ryan, J. W., Science, 179. 79–82 (1973).
Dempsey, G. P., Bullivant, S., and Watkins, W. B., Z. Zellforsch., 143, 465–484 (1973).
Orci, L., Amherdt, M., Malaisse-Lagae, F., Rouiller, C., and Renold, A. E., Science, 179, 82–84 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PLATTNER, H. Intramembraneous changes on cationophore-triggered exocytosis in Paramecium. Nature 252, 722–724 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/252722a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/252722a0
This article is cited by
-
In situ ultrastructures of two evolutionarily distant apicomplexan rhoptry secretion systems
Nature Communications (2021)
-
Simultaneous recording of cytosolic Ca2+ levels inDidinium andParamecium during aDidinium attack onParamecium
Protoplasma (1997)
-
Genetic characterization of the secretory mutants ofParamecium caudatum
Protoplasma (1996)
-
The effect of Ca2+ antagonists on trichocyst release inParamecium tetraurelia
Protoplasma (1987)
-
The effective sites of some mutations affecting exocytosis in Paramecium tetraurelia
Molecular and General Genetics MGG (1978)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
