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The Cell Cortex During Ciliate Morphogenesis and Ciliogenesis

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Abstract

The cell cortex of a ciliated protozoan contains most of the structure that defines the shape and pattern of the organism. The ciliate cell cortex is composed of both cytoskeletal and membranous components. While the assembly of the cytoskeleton is believed to account for the major part of the development of shape and pattern in this cell (as in all eukaryotic cells), the contribution of membranes to the development of cellular architecture in ciliates is poorly understood. Also, how the cortical membranes are assembled and how this assembly is coordinated with cytoskeletal assembly are virtually unknown. Furthermore, membranes have several unique properties which could be useful in the storage and utilization of blueprints for cellular architecture. Freeze-fracture and freeze-etch electron microscopy provide ways to characterize the molecular architecture and assembly of membranes during development. Efforts are being made to apply these methods to an analysis of morphogenesis and ciliogenesis in Tetrahymena. The results of these studies ar summarized and their possible implications regarding the role of membranes in ciliate morphogenesis are discussed.

Résumé

Le cortex cellulaire des protozoaires ciliés contient la plupart des structures qui définissent la forme et le motif de l’organisme. Le cortex cellulaire des ciliés est composé à la fois d’éléments cytosquelettaux et membranaires. Alors que l’on pense que l’assemblement du cytosquelette joue un rôle dans la majeure partie du développement de la forme et du motif de ces cellules (comme dans toutes les cellules eucaryotes), la contribution des membranes au développement de l’architecture cellulaire chez les ciliés est mal connue. De même, la manière dont les membranes corticales sont assemblées et la manière dont cet assemblement est coordonné avec l’assemblement du cytosquelette sont virtuellement inconnues. De plus, les membranes ont plusieurs propriétés particulières qui pourraient être utiles au stockage et à l’utilisation des plans de l’architecture cellulaire. La microscopie électronique de ‘freeze-fracture’ et de ‘freeze-etch’ fournit des moyens pour caractériser l’architecture moléculaire et l’assemblement des membranes durant le développment. Des efforts sont mis en oeuvre pour appliquer ces méthodes à l’analyse de la morphogenése et de la ciliogenèse chez Tetrahymena. Les résultats de ces études sont résumés et leurs possibles implications quant au rôle des membranes dans la morphogenèse des ciliés sont discutées.

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  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA

    Linda A. Hufnagel

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Hufnagel, L.A. The Cell Cortex During Ciliate Morphogenesis and Ciliogenesis. Int J Trop Insect Sci 7, 249–260 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400009310

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