STUDIES ON THE FLAGELLA OF ALGAE: III. ELECTRON MICROGRAPHS OF CHLAMYDOMONAS MOEWUSII

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Abstract
Each flagellum of Chlamydomonas moewusii appears to originate at a basal granule beneath the papilla. The intact flagellum is composed of:(a) a central axis, consisting of 9 – 11 dense fibrils, 450 Å wide, fused laterally to form a hollow cylinder;(b) a less dense component, possibly fluid, within the axial cylinder; and(c) a sheath of less dense material, surrounding the axial cylinder, and clearly delimited by a superficial membrane which is believed to be semipermeable. Mating-type specificity seems to reside in this component, since it is involved in the agglutination reaction which precedes copulation.The flagellum terminates in a mucro 0.3 – 0.5 μ long. There is no whiplash filament. Certain structural changes, due to disorganization, disruption, or disintegration of the flagellar components, are described and figured. Possible modes of action of the flagella in cell propulsion are briefly discussed in the light of flagellar structure as revealed by electron microscopy. No structural differences have been observed between the flagella of paralyzed mutants and of wild-type cells.