Fig. 6. Immunocytochemical analyses of V-H⁺ATPase and Na⁺K⁺-ATPase in cryosections of trophosome of Riftia pachyptila. (A) Lobule section stained with DAPI. Bacteriocytes are characterized by a more diffuse staining than peritoneal cells and cells surrounding the efferent vessel (EV), due to the staining of bacterial DNA; white arrowheads indicate bacteriocyte cell membranes. (B) Corresponding section showing the immunolocalization of V-H⁺ATPase in the lobule. Staining was abundant all around the bacterial vacuoles, membrane and vacuolar sublocalization being hardly distinguishable using light microscopy, even at higher magnification (C). (D,E) Immunolocalization of Na⁺K⁺-ATPase, where staining was restricted to the periphery of the lobule (D) and appeared to line host cell membranes (E). AV, afferent blood vessel; EV, efferent blood vessel. Scale bar, 20 µm (A,B,D); 6 µm (C,E).

Return to article