LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE OBSERVATIONS ON MOTILE CELLS OFPORPHYRIDIUM PURPUREUM(RHODOPHYTA)1,2

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Motile cells of the unicellular red alga,Porphyridium purpureum(Bory) Drew & Ross were studied using light, interference, and electron microscopy. In liquid culture, moving cells possessed a mucilaginous stalk which extended from one end of the cell and tapered to a point. On tin agar surface, distinct trails were left by moving cells. With interference microscopy, the trails appeared to be shallow grooves. Microscopy of shadowed replicas confirmed that moving cells produced a shallow groove as they moved across agar. Ultrastructure observations revealed that cells moving on agar exhibited morphological polarity. Large vesicular elements containing fibrillar material similar to that in the cellular sheath was associated with the posterior area of the motile cells.