The not so naked naked amoeba - Electron Microscope Images

Images made through a microscope. All subject types.

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Ecki
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The not so naked naked amoeba - Electron Microscope Images

Post by Ecki »

I am still working on improving my preparation technique for the scanning electron microscope. But slowly I am making progress. Here is brief glimpse ...

An interesting genus of Gymnamoeba ("naked amoeba") is Korotnevella Goodkov 1988. The following two phase contrast images show an Korotnevella sp..

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Korotnevella sp.

Image
Korotnevella sp.

The amoeba has a single vesicular nucleus with a clearly distinguishable nucleolus. There are white lipid droplets and many small granules. Sometimes during locomotion I could observe a structure in the cytoplasm that looked like honeycombs. The granules were traveling around those "honeycombs". It is clear that amoeba have a cytoskeleton too, but this was the first time I saw features of it.

Although Korotnevella belongs to the "naked" amoeba, it is far from being naked! In fact Korotnevella wears a very particular "dress" made of many delicate and minute scales. The scales of this species are 250 nm in length, and will not show under a light microscope.

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Korotnevella sp.

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Korotnevella sp.

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Korotnevella sp.

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Korotnevella sp.

Here is some additional information on the family and the genera within. The family Paramoebidae Poche 1913 contains amoeba that have a single nucleus, can form finger-like pseudopodia (aka dactylopodia) and have scales or a cuticle on the glycocalyx. None of the species in this family is known to build cysts. Within the family Paramoebidae Poche 1913 we have 3 genera:

Paramoeba Schaudinn 1896
All known species in the genus are marine. Paramoeba have a clearly visible organelle next to the nucleus, the parasome or "Nebenkörper". The parasome contains DNA, can replicate itself and is believed to be the remains of an endosymbiont or endoparasite. Paramoeba are parasites that cause havoc in lobster, shrimp, sea urchin populations. Paramoeba have scales similar to Korotnevella.

Mayorella Schaeffer 1926
This genus contains amoeba that have no scales and no parasome. They are not "naked", too and their glycocalyx is covered with tiny columns.

Korotnevella Goodkov 1988
This genus was known as Dactylamoba Korotneff 1880. As all members of the family can form dactylopodia and the type species of the genus Dactylamoeba can not be rediscovered (the description is, by modern standards, to vague) Goodkov proposed the name Korotnevella Goodkov 1988 for amoeba that can form dactylopodia, have no parasome and scales on the glycocalyx.

The scales are made of polysaccharids and shaped like a boat. The species shown here has scales that do not match any published descriptions.

Best regards,
Ecki
Last edited by Ecki on Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:38 am, edited 2 times in total.

Beatsy
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Post by Beatsy »

Mind blowing, stunning images!

How on earth do you prepare a wet, sloppy amoeba for SEM?!

Litonotus
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Post by Litonotus »

Outstanding! the 3rd one is superb. that's another world inside the 'usual' microwold we know...

you should write magnifications, just for us - light microscope users (:
my FB page

I'm looking for the the extemely rare V-IM magnification changer for the E800 scope. If you have seen a listing or have one for sale please let me know.

Olympusman
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Amoeba

Post by Olympusman »

Astounding images!
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

Jean-marc
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Post by Jean-marc »

Very interesting !

JM

vasselle
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Post by vasselle »

Superbe :smt038 :smt038 :smt038

Bruce Taylor
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Post by Bruce Taylor »

Absolutely amazing, Ecki! :) :) :) :) :) :)
It Came from the Pond (Blog): http://www.itcamefromthepond.com/

Sumguy01
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Post by Sumguy01 »

:D :smt038 :smt041 =D> WOW!
Thanks for sharing these very interesting pics.
Great job.

Jacek
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Post by Jacek »

:shock:

arturoag75
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Post by arturoag75 »

Impressive :shock:

Ecki
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Post by Ecki »

Thanks for all the nice comments and :shock: :smt026
you should write magnifications, just for us - light microscope users
The magnification depends on the screen you are using. On my iPad it is approximately 70.000x and on my notebook 100.000x for the last image with the scale details.

regards
Ecki

Litonotus
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Post by Litonotus »

On my iPad it is approximately 70.000x and on my notebook 100.000x
thanks (: that's incredibly much anyway (:
my FB page

I'm looking for the the extemely rare V-IM magnification changer for the E800 scope. If you have seen a listing or have one for sale please let me know.

RogelioMoreno
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Post by RogelioMoreno »

Wow, amazing details! :shock:

Rogelio

carlos.uruguay
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Post by carlos.uruguay »

Marvelous!

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

OUCH!
(floor is a bit hard.. ;) )

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