Light and electron microscope studies on the fruiting bodies of Chondromyces crocatus

Summary The fruiting bodies of Chondromyces crocatus have been examined by both light and electron microscopy. The cysts are bounded by a discrete layer of dense slime enclosing a material of lesser density in which the closely packed resting cells are embedded. The latter, in contrast to the microcysts of other myxobacters, are not enclosed in individual slime capsules. Young resting cells commonly contain numerous mesosomes while older resting cells are characterized by what appear to be large lipid granules.The slime stalk consists largely of a system of vertical, parallel empty tubules through which the cells have migrated during fruiting body development.Supported by grant number A 1022 from the National Research Council of Canada.