Quick-freeze, deep-etch rotary replication of Trypanosoma cruzi and Herpetomonas megaseliae

The fine structure of epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and promastigotes of Herpetomonas megaseliae was analysed in replicas of quick-frozen, freeze-fractured, deeply etched and rotary-replicated cells. Using control cells and cells treated with Triton X-100 before glutaraldehyde fixation, images were obtained that showed connections of the sub-pellicular microtubules with each other, with the plasma membrane, and with the endoplasmic reticulum. Images were also obtained that showed the DNA network in the kinetoplast. Filamentous structures were found to connect the kinetoplast to the basal body, and to connect the main basal body to the accessory one. In addition, deep-etch images of detergent-extracted flagella display dynein arm substructure and the filamentous architecture of the paraxial structures.