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Starvation effects on the ultrastructure of amoeba mitochondria

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Summary

Mitochondria in non-starved giant amoebae, Pelomyxa carolinensis, contain tubules lying at random in the matrix. Many mitochondria in starved amoebae have enlarged tubules aligned in a zigzag pattern. Tubules within the zigzag region are separated by very little matrix material. Some of these altered mitochondria are found in 70% of amoebae starved for only 24 hours, and in nearly all P. carolinensis starved for 8 days or longer. The percentage of such altered mitochondria increases from zero in most well-fed amoebae, to about 60% after two weeks of continuous starvation. Most P. carolinensis starved at 25° C survive less than three weeks. Microfilament bundles are observed in the matrix of some mitochondria in amoebae starved for more than two days.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biological and Medical Research, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA

    Edward W. Daniels & Evelyn P. Breyer

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  1. Edward W. Daniels
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  2. Evelyn P. Breyer
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Work supported by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.

The authors acknowledge the assistance of Miss Doris Jean Buer and Miss Patricia Ann Sustarsic.

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Daniels, E.W., Breyer, E.P. Starvation effects on the ultrastructure of amoeba mitochondria. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 91, 159–169 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00364307

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00364307

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