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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 7721

Giovanna Rosati, Franco Verni, and Nicola Ricci; The Cyst of Oxytricha bifaria (Ciliata, Hypotrichida). III. Cytochemical Investigation. Protistologica XX(2):197-204, 1984

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Two different stocks of Oxytricha bifaria were studied by ultrastructural cytochemistry: 1 days-old vs. 14 day-old cysts. By means of the techniques used for this purpose, proteins, polysaccharides in general and chitin in particular were monitored and studied. It was shown that the reactivity to the tests specific for polysaccharides of both granular layer and endocyst clearly increases from the 1 day-old to the 14 day-old cysts. Moreover in 14 day-old cysts the same two layers prove to be affected also by the treatment with protease while the ectomesocyst contains a certain amount of granules which are removed together with the ectomesocystic fibres by a double treatment with protease and chitinase. Thus not only the chemical nature of many structures was studied but it was also found that such a nature can change in the time, as the encystment proceeds.