CORRELATED LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES ON BROWN ALGAE I. LOCALIZATION OF ALGINIC ACID AND SULPHATED POLYSACCHARIDES IN DICTYOTA

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Abstract
Summary: By electron microscopy and light microscope histochemical techniques, alginic acid and sulphated polysaccharides (probably largely fucoidan) have been located in the cell walls of Dictyota dichotoma.The cell walls of the vegetative thallus and those of mature reproductive cells (tetrasporangia, tetraspores, antheridia and oogonia) are composed of three to four well‐defined layers, mainly of alginic acid, sulphated polysaccharide or a mixture of these substances. Prior to their secretion the two types of polysaccharide can generally be detected in conspicuous, peripheral, intra‐cellular cytoplasmic vesicles. Alginic acid is liberated from vesicles through the plasma membrane by reversed pinocytosis.The results are discussed in relation to other work on the polysaccharides and histochemistry of brown algae.