Pellicle structure in Euglena

The pellicle of Euglena has been investigated by anoptral and phase contrast light microscopy, and by electron microscopy of osmium-fixed, Epon-embedded, lead-stained sections and of carbon/platinum replicas.

Observations on living cells show that the pellicular striatiors of Euglena spirogyra trace a left-handed (S) helix in a majority of cells, and a right-handed (Z) helix in only 5 to 30% of the cells in any one culture. All cells of E. spirogyra var. fusca have a left-handed (S) helix. Ornamentation on the pellicle takes the form of rows of knobs in various patterns. The living pellicle can be dissociated into long flat strips.

Electron microscopy shows that each pellicular strip has an elaborate cross-sectional shape, features of which are accessory teeth and ribs and a continuous ridge which articulates in a groove running along the edge of the next strip. The strips can move against one another, presumably by the ridges sliding in the grooves, and it is suggested that the joints might be lubricated by mucilage supplied from the helically disposed muciferous bodies. One single and one pair of fibrils or tubes, 200–250 Å in diameter, are regularly arranged parallel to each pellicular strip. A continuous tripartite plasmalemma, 80–100 Å thick, lies externally to the strips; external to this membrane lie the pellicular knobs. Each cell has from 35 to 45 pellicular strips, reducing to a few at the posterior end of the cell by successive fusions. Similar fusions occur at the anterior end of the cell, mainly within the canal.

These observations are compared with those made on the euglenoid pellicle by previous authors, and the following problems are discussed: direction of helix; the nature and cause of ornamentation; euglenoid movement with reference to fibrils, cytoplasmic flow, pellicle flexibility and the proteinaceous nature of the pellicle; helical and bilateral symmetry in the cell; and cet growth and division.