Computer aided three dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of cells from tw
o isolates of protozoa of the genus Phytomonas, trypanosomatids found
in plants, were made from 0.3 mu m thick sections, imaged on a Zeiss 9
02 electron microscope with a energy filter for inellastically scatter
ed electrons, in order to obtain information about glycosomal shape di
versity, Direct counts of peroxisomes (glycosomes) from Phytomonas sp.
from Chamaesyce thymifolia indicated that there were fewer glycosomes
per cell than the simple count of ultrathin section profiles would su
ggest and that these organelles could be long and branched. On the oth
er hand, the stacked glycosomes observed in the isolate from Euphorbia
characias were small individual structures and no connection was seen
between them.