Fibrillar System and Possible Control Mechanism for the Cycle of Contraction and Elongation of Spirostomum ambiguum : Cell Biology

概要

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A large heterotrichous ciliate, Spirostomum ambiguum, shows the characteristic twisting contraction when stimulated by certain mechanical or chemical factors. This contraction is attributed to a special contractile fibrillar system which is termed myoneme, while the subsequent elongation after the contraction occurred might be induced by another type of fibrillar system, longitudinal microtubular sheets (LMSs). The myoneme is composed of a great number of fine filaments which are heavily packed and lie in parallel with each other. The diameter of individual filament varies from 3 to 5nm in the elongated state but raises up to 7 to 9nm in the contracted state. Every nonciliated basal body has a rootlet-like structure, which is attached to the myoneme not only in the contracted state but also in the elongated state. If the myoneme and LMSs have antagonistic functions to each other, the force of each fibrillar system is assumed to be transmitted by these rootlet-like structures. On the other hand, anterior fiber sheet was found to be attached to the LMS in the extended state but detached from that in the contracted state of organism. From these observations, the switching or control mechanism was proposed and discussed for the cycle of contraction and elongation of the organism.
社団法人日本動物学会の論文
1988-10-15