The fine structure of the endogenous stages of Eimeria labbeana

Abstract

The fine structure of the feeding organelles of the endogenous developmental stages of Eimeria labbeana from the ileal mucosa of the common Pigeon, Columba livia, is described and compared with similar structures of other species of Eimeria. Intra-cytoplasmic, membrane-bound vesicles of varying shapes and dimensions, and pinocytotic vesicle, were seen in association with cup-chaped or v-shaped invaginations in early schizonts, early macrogamonts, and macrogametes. Deep invaginations, averaging 1.7×0.5 μ in size, and found on the surface of early schizonts, early and young macrogamonts, and developing microgamonts, apparently function as organelles of ingestion and breakdown of host-cell cytoplasm. Micropores were rarely seen in schizonts and never in microgametes. The merozoite had one typical micropore (850×680 Å) and a number of micropore-like invaginations. Micropores of the microgamonts averaged 610×580 Å, and those of macrogamonts and macrogametes averaged 1,220×780 Å. A typical micropore was observed in an early oocyst. Intravacuolar tubules, each 580 Å in diameter and composed of nine microtubule-like subunits, were observed only in about 1 per cent of the more than 4,000 macrogametes studied. This paper establishes that E. labbeana is a species that possesses all the known eimerian organelles associated with feeding, expect the intravacuolar folds.