The tardigrade cuticle. I. Fine structure and the distribution of lipids

Fine structure and lipid distribution are studied in cuticles of five tardigrade species using TEM and SEM. Double osmication using partitioning methods reveals a substantial lipid component in the intracuticle and in irregular granular regions within the procuticle. These results are substantiated by the loss of osmiophily following lipid extraction with chloroform and methanol. Other lipid components are revealed by osmication following unmasking of lipo-protein complexes with thymol. These occur in the outer epicuticle and in the trilaminar layer lying between the epi- and intracuticles. Anhydrous fixation of dehydrated tardigrades (tuns) reveals dense, superficial masses of osmiophilic material, apparently concentrated lumps of the surface mucopolysaccharide ('flocculent coat'). However, cryo-SEMs of tuns reveal similar dense aggregations which apparently exude from pores (not visible) and are removed by chloroform. These results suggest extruded lipids since the flocculent coat is unaffected by chloroform; likely functions of such lipids are discussed.