Paramecium

Chandika Koju
 Paramecium caudatum
 A microscopic ciliate, visible to them naked eyes as a whitish minute elongated organism.
 Free living ciliates characterized by the presence of cilia.
 There are 10 known species of Paramecium which differ in shape, size, number of
micronuclei and other structures
 The common species are:
 Paramecium caudatum
 Paramecium aurelia
 Paramecium bursaria
 Paramecium micromultinucleatum
 Systematic position:
Kingdom : Protista
Phylum : Protozoa
Sub-phylum: Ciliophora
Class : Ciliata
Genus : Paramecium
Species : caudatum
 Habit and habitat:
 Common ciliate
 Found in freshwater ponds, pools, ditches, streams, rivers, lakes and reservoir
 Abundant in stagnant water with decaying organic matter feeding on bacteria and other
protozoans
 Structure of Paramecium
• External structure
 Shape and size:
 Microscopic organism
 Varies generally in size ranging from 0.06mm-0.3mm
 Largest species Paramecium caudatum measures about
170µ-290µ(0.15-0.3mm)
 Smallest species Paramecium trichium measures about
60µ(0.06mm)
 Body is slipper or spindle shaped or streamlined or
cylindrical.
 Because of its shape it is commonly known as slipper
animalcule.
 Has definite and constant shape.
 The body is asymmetrical
 Blunt and rounded anteriorly and tapers posteriorly
 The shape helps in swimming.
 The body is distinctly differentiated into oral or ventral surface and dorsal
or aboral surface.
 Distinct lower, ventral or oral surface is flat.
 Upper dorsal surface or aboral surface is convex.
 Oral groove:
 Oral groove is an oblique depression which extends from middle to the left
side.
 It opens into cytopharynx through cytostome posteriorly.
 The oral groove leads into a deep conical depression called vestibule.
 The vestibule communicates with cytostome.
 Pellicle:
 The body of Paramecium is bounded by thin, firm,
elastic and cuticular membrane called pellicle.
 It is secreted by ectoplasm.
 It gives definite shape to the organism.
 It is made up of gelatin.
 Under high power of microscope, pellicle shows Surface view of pellicle
large number of polygonal or hexagonal cup
shaped depressions.
 Each hexagonal depression consists of central
opening through which a single cilium emerges
out.
 The anterior and posterior margins consist of
opening of trichocysts.

3D electron microscopic view of pellicle

 Cilia:
 The entire body surface is covered by protoplasmic processes called
cilia.
 Cilia are numerous, tiny and hair like projections.
 They measure 10-12µ in the length and 0.27µ in diameter.
 There are 10000 to 14000 cilia covering the whole body surface.
 Cilia are arranged in regular longitudinal rows.
 Their length is uniform throughout, except for a few longer cilia at the
extreme posterior end of the body forming caudal tuft.
 Cytopyge:
 It lies on the ventral surface of the oral groove.
 Undigested food is egested out through this pore.
Internal structure:
• Cytoplasm:
 Cytoplasm is clearly differentiated into outer ectoplasm
and inner endoplasm.
 Ectoplasm:
 It forms a clear, dense and thin peripheral layer.
 It consists of basal granules or kinetosome and trichocysts.
 Trichocysts:
 Trichocysts are present in cytoplasm alternating between
the bases of cilia.
 These are spindle shaped bodies suspended at right angles
to the body surface.
 Each trichocyst consists of elongated shaft and a terminal
pointed tip called spike.
Structure of trichocyst
 The cavities of shaft are filled with refractive dense, semi-
fluid matrix.
 A long needle shaped thread ejected for offence and
defense and attachment.
 Endoplasm:
 Endoplasm is large, central, less granular and semifluid part of
cytoplasm.
 It includes important cell organelles.
 Nucleus:
 Paramecium is heterokaryotic organism.
 It is binucleate with nuclear dimorphism.
 It possess two types of nuclei.
 Macronucleus:
 It is roughly kidney shaped with inconspicuous nuclear membrane.
 Macronucleus is somatic or vegetative nucleus.
 It controls metabolic activities of the cell.
Micronucleus:
Micronucleus is small and spherical with nuclear membrane.
It is lodged in the depression of the macronucleus.
It controls reproductive activities of the body.
Contractile vacuoles:
Paramecium has two contractile vacuoles; anterior contractile vacuole
and posterior contractile vacuole
Each contractile vacuole consists of central vacuole and 6-10 radial
canals
Contractile vacuoles help in osmoregulation.
Food vacuoles:
Discuss habit,habitat and structure of Paramecium. 7.5
Discuss habit and habitat of Paramecium 3
Structure and functions of trichocysts 3
Differences between macronucleus and micronucleus 3
Systematic position of Paramecium caudatum 3