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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 7778

S. Blumberg, S. Propst, S. Honjo, T. Otaka, J. Antanavage, S. Banerjee, and L. Margulis; Induced reversible pigment alteration in Stentor coeruleus. Trans.Amer.Micros.Soc. 92(4):557-569, 1973

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Drugs active on the nervous system of animals (caffeine, serotonin, and melatonin) cause reversible loss of the blue-green pigment granules from the surface of the single-celled ciliate protozoan Stentor coeruleus. Such gradual "bleaching" is described on the basis of light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy. A new gold chloride fixation for both types of microscopy has been developed. Pigment granules in bleached stentors move from their definitive cortical location into the cell. Complete recovery of normal pigmentation requires protein synthesis. Cortical pigment granules may develop by fragmentation of large perinuclear pigment granules. The migration of cortical pigment granules to the surface may occur by a microtubule-mediated transport system.