|
One feature of mitochondria of paramecia that we discovered during
our studies was that the tubular cristae produce a reaction product
when treated with diaminobenzidine. This compound is used in electron
microscopy to indicate the uptake of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) when
cells are doubly exposed to this enzyme as well as its substrate
hydrogen peroxide. Thus paramecia have a natural enzyme as well as the
substrate in their mitochondria which produces an electron opaque
reaction product without adding either hydrogen peroxide or HRP to the
growth medium. The chemical reaction that produces this reaction
product is not known. The DAB reaction product highlights the wavy or
helical pattern of mitochondrial cristae. EM taken on 7/16/86 by R.
Allen with Zeiss 10A TEM. Neg. 12,000X. Bar = 0.2µm. Part published in
Paramecium, H.-D. Gortz, ed., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, p.12, 1988.
|
