Paramecium with special food

[Franz Neidl]

I gave Paramecium caudatum (300 µm long) red powder of carmine to feed. After one hour I had these results. It shows that Paramecium does not distinguish if it is a valuable food ore not. It must have only the right grain-size.

Franz

[elf]

Can you do a time-lapse sequence to show how the "food" was ingested and how it migrated to it's current location?

Is it ever able to excrete the "food"?

[Franz Neidl]

how the "food" was ingested and how it migrated to it's current location?
Is it ever able to excrete the "food"?

Hallo Elf,

your question is interesting, but I did'nt follow the whole process (maybe I would'nt be patient enough). The food is ingested with the cell mouth (see the picture). The cell mouth has a gullet. Afterwards Parameciums forms food vacuoles. The vacuoles are transported with a rotational cytoplasmatic streaming along a permanent route (Cyclosis). The speed of this process for example in Paramecium bursaria is 3 µm per second! (Hausmann, K., Protozoologie, 1985, p. 215).
I our case I dont know if the carmine powder was excreted or not.

Franz

[rjlittlefield]

Is it ever able to excrete the "food"?

Here is a snippet quickly found by Google:

Although Metalnikow did not seem to recognize the difference between organismal selection (exercised while feeding) and histonic selection (exercised when the process of digestion begins), his data clearly indicate that carmine, aluminium, powdered glass, sulphur, etc., are as readily eaten as, but more speedily ejected than food particles. The fixed habit of cyclosis in paramecium, and that of egestion at a definite point, serve to obscure this difference somewhat, for it tends to equalize the time during which digestible and indigestible substances are retained in the body. But the fact nevertheless stands out when Metalnikow's tables are closely examined.

This is in The Journal of animal behavior, Volume 17, 1917, in an article titled "Choice of food in ameba", by A. A. Schaeffer, pages 220-258. The quote is from page 244. At the moment, the entire article can be read online. The snippet is HERE. Unfortunately Metalnikow's tables are not reproduced in this article, and I did not take the time to track them down.

The article has quite bit more about food selection by Paramecium and other protozoa. Interesting reading...

Franz, your pictures are stunning -- very well done!

--Rik

[g4lab]

I agree the pictures are stunning.
The apparent relief in that last shot is amazing.

[elf]

how the "food" was ingested and how it migrated to it's current location?
Is it ever able to excrete the "food"?

Hallo Elf,

your question is interesting, but I did'nt follow the whole process (maybe I would'nt be patient enough). The food is ingested with the cell mouth (see the picture). The cell mouth has a gullet. Afterwards Parameciums forms food vacuoles. The vacuoles are transported with a rotational cytoplasmatic streaming along a permanent route (Cyclosis). The speed of this process for example in Paramecium bursaria is 3 µm per second! (Hausmann, K., Protozoologie, 1985, p. 215).
I our case I dont know if the carmine powder was excreted or not.

Franz

I was curious because the carmine seemed to be randomly distributed. Seeing the Cyclosis in action would be even more entertaining

Here is a snippet quickly found by Google:
...
The article has quite bit more about food selection by Paramecium and other protozoa. Interesting reading...
--Rik

What was the Google query that found this so quickly? That is an interesting article. I think I will have to try the feeding technique where everything is food

p.s. Franz: the images are spectacular.

[rjlittlefield]

What was the Google query that found this so quickly?

paramecium carmine excretion

It was hit #15. I was prompted to look closer because it was a Google Books response, and because the search hit said this: "... his data clearly indicate that carmine, aluminium, powdered glass, sulphur, etc., ... in paramecium, and that of egestion at a definite point, ..."

--Rik