Topographical features of the membrane of Poterioochromonas malhamensis after colchicine and osmotic treatment.

Changes in membrane topography in the flagellate Poterioochromonas malhamensis, as a result of colchicine and osmotic-stress treatments, have been studied using freeze-fracturing and thin sectioning. Ridges, but not rows of intramembrane particles, in the PF-face which denote the position of underlying cortical microtubules, together with the ridge associated with their point of origin (flagellar root fibre 1), dissappear after colchicine or short-term (5 min) osmotic treatments. Cortical microtubules are destroyed as a result of the former, but not the latter treatment. Longer periods in osmoticum allow a recovery of the microtubule - associated membrane ridges. Despite careful isosmotic fixations distinct cross-bridges between microtubules and the plasmalemma were not discernible in thin section.