PINOCYTOSIS AND LOCOMOTION OF AMOEBAE .3. FUNCTION OF GOLGI APPARATUS OF AMOEBA PROTEUS AND CHAOS CHAOS

The vacuolar apparatus of Amoeba proteus and Chaos chaos contains a type of vacuoles of up to now unknown origin and function. These vacuoles do not arise from endocytosis and therefore are not identical with endosomes. They are responsible for the regeneration of cell membrane and represent exocytotic vacuoles. Cytochemical investigations reveal that the exocytotic vacuoles are formed by the dictyosomes of the golgi apparatus. Therefore, the golgi apparatus of both species of amoebae has a morphogenetic as well as a secretory function. He is not only responsible for the continous forming of new plasmalemma, but also engaged in synthesis of the mucous layer of the cell membrane. In consequence he is comparable in function with the golgi apparatus of many metazoan cells, regarded now as a membrane depot as well as a generation center of mucous substances. The problems of cytochemical identification of acid mucopolysaccharides and the importance of exocytosis for membrane turnover of amoebae are discussed. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.