FINE-STRUCTURE OF TRITRICHOMONAS-FETUS AS SEEN USING CRYOTECHNIQUES

Tritrichomonas foetus was studied using different physical and chemica l fixation methods such as fast-freezing (by high pressure, ''slam-fre ezing,'' and jet-propane), freeze-substitution, conventional freeze-fr acture and deep-etching, cryoultramicrotomy, and routine preparation f or transmission electron microscopy. The use of fast-freezing fixation (FFF) proved to be superior in terms of structural preservation due t o the rapidity of this fixation compared to that obtained using conven tional chemical fixation. The low temperature techniques used here wer e useful to confirm data already obtained by conventional freeze-fract ure using chemical fixation and cryoprotection, such as the presence o f flagellar rosettes and costa structure. Cryoultramicrotomy and slam- freezing also demonstrated the presence of hair-like structures projec ting out from the protozoan surface. New aspects of organelles of T. f oetus were demonstrated. Published 1994 by Wiley-Liss, Inc.