Ciliates - ciliary parasites in the human body, infection and treatment. Ciliate slipper: structure and vital functions What does the ciliate slipper look like under a microscope

The type of ciliates is more organized in development in relation to other representatives of protozoa, and, according to various sources, has up to 6–7 thousand species of organisms. It includes two classes: ciliated (characterized by the presence of cilia on the body, which can be distributed evenly over the body or form cirri) and sucking (adult representatives of this class are characterized by the absence of cilia, pharynx and mouth, but the presence of one or more tentacles).

The body shape of different species can be any, but most often it is elongated and streamlined. The body of the ciliate contains a nuclear apparatus, which consists of a large vegetative and small generative nuclei. This structure is characteristic only of this type of protozoa. Another important distinguishing feature for ciliates is the presence of osmoregulation - the function of regulating the pressure of the cellular fluid of the internal environment.

To move and capture prey, ciliates use cilia, the movement of which is coordinated. At first they bend quickly and strongly to one side, then straighten. Cilia can connect with each other, forming more complex and mechanically efficient structures (cirrhie, membranellae).

Reproduction can occur in several ways: asexual cell division, repeated division, multiple division, or budding. Sexual reproduction in ciliates is called conjugation and consists of a temporary exchange of parts of the nuclear apparatus with a small volume of cytoplasm located in them. Moreover, this process does not lead to an increase in the number of representatives of the type; it is necessary to update the genetic information of the nuclear apparatus of the ciliate, and, consequently, improve adaptation to the environment and increase its viability.

Types of ciliates

The main number of species are free-living protozoa that live in marine and fresh waters. Some ciliates live in droplets of soil moisture. They can lead a floating, sitting or attached lifestyle.

Slipper ciliates (paramecium)

It is a characteristic representative of a species of freshwater protozoa. In the ecosystem of water bodies, ciliates play the role of a component of food chains. They feed on bacteria and algae particles, thereby regulating their numbers and purifying the water of contaminants, and they themselves are food for invertebrates and fish fry.

Ciliate predators

They also live in bodies of water, but they do not use bacteria as food, but smaller representatives of their species. Didinium ciliates use an oral cone protruding above the body with a rod apparatus consisting of fibrils. They puncture and eat their prey. Other representatives, such as Dileptus, have a long process located on the body, located in the front, and use it to push food into the mouth. The sucking ciliate Sphaerophrya catches prey using tentacles with a sticky secretion at the top. The contents of the ciliate caught in this way flow through channels located in the tentacles into the endoplasm of the predator ciliate and are digested there.

Symbiont ciliates

In addition to free ciliates that independently obtain their own food, there are also symbiont ciliates that live in the rumen of ruminants (representatives of the order Entodiniomorpha). They feed on bacteria and fiber, helping to improve its digestion. And in addition they themselves provide protein food for animals. The biomass of microorganisms is quickly restored due to the high rates of their reproduction.

Routes of human infection

The most common places of infection are farms and private farms where pigs or livestock are raised. Farm workers themselves are at greater risk than the rest of the population. The fact is that cysts are quite tenacious and can remain in an animal’s droppings for a long time. Cysts can persist in pig excrement for up to several weeks. In vegetative form, at room temperature, they die after 2-3 days. The cysts themselves can be carried by birds and insects, ending up on vegetables and fruits growing dangerously close to livestock. They can also be transmitted through water or through tactile contact with a contaminated object or an already sick person. When a person is infected, characteristic symptoms appear.

Symptoms and complications

Pathological processes begin as a result of the proliferation of microorganisms in the walls of the colon; infection of the final part of the small intestine and the formation of ulcers are possible. The disease can occur in acute or chronic form. Patients with a chronic form of the disease are more often observed.

In any form, a characteristic sign will be the appearance of bloody diarrhea with mucus and a foul odor, or the occurrence of colitis, accompanied by the release of semi-liquid mucous diarrhea without blood. The chronic form of the course may not manifest itself in the form of dysentery at all, but may be in remission. In this case, patients believe that they have a mild illness and do not turn to specialists. With a long-term onset of the disease, periods of remission may be shortened, and acute conditions will manifest themselves more strongly. At such moments, the chance of death is much higher.

The development of the disease is usually divided into three stages:

• incubation period;
• acute period;
• chronic balantidiasis.

A patient with balantidiasis experiences the following symptoms: loss of appetite, headache, fever, moderate fever (or heat), weakness. Along with the main signs, characteristic symptoms of the disease may also appear: flatulence, abdominal pain, diarrhea; if the rectum is affected, tenesmus (false urge to defecate, accompanied by painful sensations) may be observed. The patient's stool contains blood and mucus. There may be a dry tongue, painful feelings in the liver area (according to tactile sensations, it increases). In severe cases of the disease, severe fever begins, frequent nausea, and foul-smelling diarrhea with blood and mucus appear. Such patients lose weight very quickly, and a week later they develop cachexia (depletion of the body).

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis of the presence of the ciliate Balantidium coli in the body is carried out using a native (preserving the natural structure and color of the test material) smear or scraping from the affected area of ​​the intestine, taken using the sigmoidoscopy procedure. The ciliates themselves are detected quite easily due to their large size, characteristic shape and high mobility. Cysts are more difficult to detect. They can be recognized using solutions stained with Lugol's preparation. Typically, a small amount of balantidia is observed in smears, and to make an accurate diagnosis it is necessary to undergo analysis several times. Important information when making a diagnosis is the patient’s place of residence, the proximity of farms and places where livestock are kept.

Diagnosis of dangerous bacteria is carried out in several ways:

Research under a microscope

In this case, a native smear is examined. Balantidia are clearly visible under magnification, since their length is about 75 µm and thickness is about 40 µm. To detect it, a small magnification of the microscope is sufficient. To study the microorganism in more detail, it is worth removing excess liquid from the preparation. The causative agent of the disease will slow down and it can be examined in more detail. At this magnification, cilia are visible that evenly cover the egg-shaped body of the ciliate. In the center, a bean-shaped body is visible - the vegetative nucleus (macronucleus). It is surrounded by a turbid granular liquid - endoplasm. The next layer is ectoplasm and cytoplasm, which limits the cell from the external environment. Vacuoles are located in the front and back of the body. They look like light balls that appear and disappear.

Heidenhain method

When studying a drug using the Heidenhain method, the signs of microorganism manifestation are the same as when examined under a microscope. Observation is also carried out at a relatively low magnification. Balantidia are easily detected due to the internal structure of the cell. A slight difference is observed in the absence of cilia in the medium in question.

Culture method

To study balantidia using this method, Rice medium is used.

Treatment of a patient with balantidiasis should be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor or in a hospital. To improve well-being and speed up recovery, the patient is prescribed the following medications:

• metronidazole;
• monomycin;
• oxytetracycline.

Prevention

To avoid infection with a dangerous disease, you should follow basic rules of personal hygiene:

• wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet;
• treat fruits and vegetables with hot water;
• Boil water to make tea or other drinks.

On a public scale, measures should be taken:

• to combat contamination of human habitations with pig excrement;
• to improve occupational hygiene and to prevent possible harmful effects on the health of people working with animals on farms;
• for timely diagnosis of the disease and treatment of people infected with balantidiasis.

The simplest unicellular organisms belonging to the class of ciliates are distributed almost everywhere. From the cold ice of the North to the no less scorching icebergs of the South, these cute creatures are found in any stagnant water, one of the most important links in the food chain of the biocenosis. For the aquarist, ciliates are valuable as good food for newborn fry. But before introducing this living creature into your “underwater world”, it is worth getting acquainted with the reproduction, nutrition and vital activity of the microorganism.

Natural habitat and more

The smallest living creatures live in shallow bodies of still water. Slipper ciliates are so called for the similarity of the shape of the body, completely covered with cilia, with a lady's shoe. Cilia help animals move, feed, and even defend themselves. The smallest organism has a size of 0.5 mm; it is impossible to see the ciliate with the naked eye! An interesting way of moving in water is only with the rounded blunt end forward, but even with such a peculiar “walking”, the babies develop a speed of 2.5 mm/1 second.

Single-celled creatures have a two-nuclear structure: the first “large” nucleus controls nutritional and respiratory processes, monitors metabolism and movement, but the “small” nucleus is involved only in processes of sexual significance. The thinnest shell of increased elasticity allows the microorganism to be in its natural, clearly defined form, and also to move quickly. As such, movement is carried out through cilia, which act as “oars” and constantly push the shoe forward. By the way, the movements of all eyelashes are absolutely synchronous and coordinated.

Life activities: feeding, breathing, reproduction

Like all free-living microorganisms, the ciliate slipper feeds on the smallest bacteria and algae particles. Such a baby has an oral cavity - a deep cavity located in a certain place in the body. The mouth opening goes into the pharynx, and then the food goes straight into the vacuole for food digestion, and here the food begins to be processed by an acidic and then an alkaline environment. The microorganism also has a hole through which incompletely digested food remains exit. It is located behind the food opening and, passing through a special type of structure - powder, food remains are pushed out. The nutrition of the microorganism is adjusted to the limit, the shoe cannot overeat or remain hungry. This is perhaps one of nature's perfect creations.

The ciliate shoe breathes with all the integuments of its body. The released energy is enough to support the life of all processes, and unnecessary waste compounds, such as carbon dioxide, are also removed through the entire area of ​​the individual’s body. The structure of the ciliate slipper is quite complex, for example, contractile vacuoles, when overfilled with water and dissolved organic substances, rise to the extreme point of the plasma on the body and push out everything unnecessary. Freshwater inhabitants thus remove excess water, which constantly flows in from the surrounding space.

Microorganisms of this type can gather in large colonies to places where many bacteria accumulate, but react extremely sharply to table salt - they swim away.

Reproduction

There are two types of microorganism reproduction:

1. Asexual, which is a common division. This process occurs as the division of one ciliate slipper in two, with the new organisms having their own large and small nucleus. At the same time, only a small part of the “old” organelles passes into a new life; all the rest are quickly formed anew.
2. Sexual. This type is used only when there are temperature fluctuations, insufficient food and other unfavorable conditions. This is when the animals can separate into sexes and then turn into a cyst.

It is the second reproduction option that is most interesting:

1. Two individuals temporarily merge into one;
2. At the site of fusion, a certain channel is formed that connects the pair;
3. The large nucleus completely disappears (in both individuals), and the small nucleus is divided twice.

other presentations on the topic “Ciliate slipper”

“Type of Ciliates” - Found all over the world, found in fresh and sea waters. They reproduce by division. When the body contracts, the stalk also contracts and twists spirally. The entoplasm contains a ribbon-shaped macronucleus with an adjacent spherical micronucleus. After several generations in the life cycle of ciliates, the sexual process occurs.

“Flagellate protozoa” - Collared flagellates are possible ancestors of multicellular animals. Nutrition. A group of protozoa. Flagellates. Reproduction. Protozoa. Shell. Some flagellates form colonies. All flagellates have at least one flagellum (some have thousands). Primitive complexity. The flagellar cell is covered with a thin outer shell or chitinous shell.

“Type of Ciliates” - Suvoika. Reproduction is repeated 1 - 2 times a day. The macronucleus has a polyploid set of chromosomes and regulates metabolic processes. They are found all over the world, found in fresh and sea waters. They reproduce by division. Type of ciliates. Cysts are spherical. When the body contracts, the stalk also contracts and twists spirally.

“Diversity of protozoa” - Subtype Flagellates. Complex life cycle. There are 70 thousand species of Protozoa. The role of Protozoa in the life of nature and humans is significant. When did Protozoa appear on Earth? Diversity of Protozoa. What types of Protozoa do you know? Diversity of protozoa. Phylum Sporozoans. Types of Protozoa. What is the name of the protozoan that causes the disease Amoebiasis?

“Biology 7th grade protozoa” - Trypanosomes are the causative agents of human sleeping sickness. Movement is carried out with the help of pseudopods, the body flows from one part to another. Phylum Sarcoflagellates Class Sarcodae (Rhizopods). Most are inhabitants of the seas, fresh water bodies, and soil. What are the characteristics of animals and the characteristics of plants? Shell rhizomes.

“Protozoa test” - Breathes over the entire surface of the body. Ciliates are complex protozoa. Subkingdom Protozoa. Chloroplasts. Microscopic dimensions Unicellular. The structure of green euglena. Plant characteristics Ability to photosynthesize in light. Pseudopaedes. In the light. Class Flagellates. Extraction Removing excess water.

The most typical widespread representative of ciliates is ciliate slipper(Paramecium). It lives in stagnant water, as well as in freshwater bodies of water with very weak currents containing decaying organic material.

The figure gives an idea of ​​the rather complex structure of these organisms, typical of ciliates. The complexity of the cell structure in paramecia is explained by the fact that it has to perform all the functions inherent in the whole organism, namely nutrition, osmoregulation and movement. The body of Paramecia has a characteristic shape: its front end is blunt, and its rear end is somewhat pointed.

Cilia of ciliates slippers located in pairs over the entire surface of the cell. Arranged in longitudinal diagonal rows, they beat and force the ciliates to rotate and move forward. Between the cilia there are openings leading to special chambers called trichocysts. From these chambers, under the influence of certain stimuli, thin pointed threads can shoot out, probably used to hold prey.

Under the pellicle of the ciliate there are slippers ectoplasm is located - a transparent layer of dense cytoplasm with the consistency of a gel. In the ectoplasm there are basal bodies (identical to centrioles), from which the cilia extend, and between the basal bodies there is a network of thin fibrils, apparently involved in coordinating the beating of the cilia.

The bulk cytoplasm of the ciliate slipper is represented by endoplasm, which has a more liquid consistency than ectoplasm. It is in the endoplasm that most organelles are located. On the ventral (lower) surface of the slipper, closer to its anterior end, there is a perioral funnel, at the bottom of which there is a mouth, or cytostome.

Ciliate slipper mouth leads into a short canal - the cytopharynx, or pharynx. Both the perioral funnel and the pharynx can be lined with cilia, the movements of which direct a flow of water to the cytostome, carrying with it various food particles, such as bacteria. A food vacuole is formed around food particles that enter the cytoplasm by endocytosis. These vacuoles move through the endoplasm to the so-called powder, through which undigested residues are excreted by exocytosis.

In the cytoplasm of the ciliate slipper There are also two contractile vacuoles, the location of which in the cell is strictly fixed. These vacuoles are responsible for osmoregulation, i.e. they maintain a certain water potential in the cell. Life in fresh water is complicated by the fact that water constantly enters the cell as a result of osmosis; this water must be continuously removed from the cell to prevent it from rupturing.

This happens through the process of active transport, which requires energy. Around each contractile vacuole of the ciliate slipper there is a series of radiating channels that collect water before releasing it into the central vacuole.

In a cage paramecium ciliates slippers there are two cores. Most of them are polyploid; it has more than two sets of chromosomes and controls metabolic processes not associated with reproduction. Micronucleus is a diploid nucleus. It controls the reproduction and formation of macronuclei during nuclear division.

Paramecium ciliates slippers can reproduce both asexually (by transverse division in two) and sexually (by conjugation).

Slipper ciliates belong to the class of the most highly organized protozoan microorganisms. They live in stagnant shallow bodies of water. If we compare them with other groups of protozoa, then ciliates have a more complex structure.

Features of microorganisms

The slipper ciliate class is considered one of the most highly organized. They are quite large: their size can reach 0.5 mm. They got their name due to their shape, which in appearance resembles the sole of a shoe.

Slipper ciliates are always on the move. At the same time, they swim with the blunt end first. Their movement speed is high - about 2.5 mm per second. This means that they cover a distance of 5-10 times the length of their own body. Moreover, the trajectory of their movement is very specific: they not only move straight, but also perform rotational movements along the longitudinal axis to the right.

These microorganisms can be diluted in small aquariums. To do this, just fill ordinary meadow hay with water from the pond. In such a tincture a mass of simple microorganisms is formed. As a rule, slipper ciliates can also be detected under a microscope. Photos of this microorganism make it possible to understand why it was given such a name.

Providing traffic

The body of these microorganisms is elongated and looks like the sole of a pump. The anterior end is narrow, the widest part being the posterior third. The body is evenly covered with cilia, which are arranged in rows. There are about 10 thousand of these microorganisms on the body. They all work synchronously - they make wave-like movements. Ciliates move thanks to these coordinated movements.

Each eyelash at room temperature makes about 30 oar-like movements per second. The oscillatory wave starts from the front and goes back. At the same time, 2-3 waves of contractions occur along the body of this microorganism. All cilia represent a single functional whole - their actions are coordinated with each other, this has long been confirmed by the science of biology. The slipper ciliate can move in different directions and at different speeds. She can react to changes in the external environment by changing the direction of movement.

External features

Biologists conventionally call one of the sides of the body of ciliates the peritoneum. On this part there is a deep groove going inside. It is a perioral opening and is called a peristome. At its back there is a mouth and pharynx. On the walls of the peristome the cilia are longer. This is a special catching apparatus that forces food into the mouth opening of the ciliate-slipper.

The outer cover of a microorganism is a cell membrane, which is a thin elastic shell. It is she who provides a constant body shape, which distinguishes the slipper ciliates from other groups of protozoa. The 7th grade in schools is studying these microorganisms. It is at this time that children learn that each eyelash has a rather complex structure.

Structure

Upon closer examination of the slipper ciliate, you can see that its body is clearly divided into two layers. The outer cover is lighter. It is called ectoplasm. The inner layer is darker and has a granular structure. It is called endoplasm. The surface layer of ectoplasm is a shell, which is responsible for the fact that the ciliate always has the same shape - a slipper. A photo taken under an electron microscope allows you to see a dense shell called a pellicle.

In the outer layer between the cilia there are perpendicular rods. They are called trichocysts and perform a protective function. When irritated, the trichocysts are suddenly thrown out with force, forming thin long threads. With their help, a predator trying to attack the shoe is defeated. New trichocysts grow in place of used trichocysts.

Nutritional Features

The slipper ciliate class is considered one of the most voracious. Their feeding process stops only during reproduction. The mouth opening of these microorganisms is always open. Therefore, the flow of food particles that enter the mouth is practically uninterrupted.

During movement, the cilia create a constant current of water around the body of the ciliate. With it, food enters through the mouth opening into the pharynx and accumulates at its bottom. Together with a small amount of water, food particles move away from the bottom of the pharynx and pass into the cytoplasm. In this case, a digestive vacuole is formed. Having separated from the pharynx, it makes a certain path along the body of the ciliate for an hour.

First, the vacuole moves towards the back of the body. After this, having described a small arc, it begins to move towards the front edge. The vacuole then begins to move around the periphery of the body.

The processing of food in the body of these microorganisms is completed in a certain place. This is where undigested residues come out. This differentiates microorganisms such as slipper ciliates, green euglena, and amoeba. The first of them has a precisely defined place in which the process of separation occurs. This is the so-called abdominal wall. But, for example, in an amoeba, the process of defecation can take place anywhere.

Food Processing Process

During movement, digestive enzymes constantly enter the vacuole, and digested food is already absorbed into the cytoplasm. Biology distinguishes several stages in the digestion process. After the formation of a special vacuole, the slipper ciliate begins to produce special enzymes.

If in the first moments the contents of the digestive organ do not differ from the environment, then after some time it changes. The environment in the vacuole becomes acidic and the digestion process begins. After this, the picture changes. Inside the vacuoles, the environment becomes slightly alkaline. These conditions are necessary for digestion to continue. The ratio of the duration of the acidic and alkaline phases may vary depending on the nature of the food. But as a rule, the first part makes up no more than ¼ of the entire period of food digestion. The process of food absorption stops at the time when the ciliate-slipper reproduces.

Excretory system

The body of the slipper ciliate contains not only digestive vacuoles. There are also special excretory organs. They are called In all ciliates, two such excretory organs can be found: one is located in the first, and the second in the last third of the body. Each of them has a special structure.

Vacuoles consist of a central reservoir and leading channels leading to them. Their work cycle begins with the filling of radially located channels with liquid. Their contents are poured into the reservoir, and from it through a special pore it comes out.

At this time, the channels begin to fill with liquid again. In this case, the anterior and posterior vacuoles contract in turn. The intensity of their work depends on environmental conditions. At room temperature, this cycle takes place in 10-15 seconds.

Functional Features

Like other simple microorganisms, the slipper ciliate has a But in structure it is noticeably different. The nuclear apparatus is notable in that ciliates have two different types of nuclei. This is one of their main differences from other microorganisms. In the center of the body (in the peristome area) there is a large nucleus. It is usually ovoid in shape. It is also called macronucleus. Close to it there is another core, which is several times smaller in size. It is called a micronucleus. But the difference is not only in size; their structure also differs noticeably.

In a macronucleus, the number of chromosomes is several hundred times greater than in a micronucleus. Therefore, the amount of chromosome substance (chromatin) in them varies significantly. By the way, by studying the reproduction of the slipper ciliates, you can find out that both nuclei are involved in this process.

To produce offspring, just one microorganism is enough. But under certain conditions, the process of conjugation begins. This is the name given to sexual reproduction of slipper ciliates. It is worth noting that this process is quite lengthy.

Asexual reproduction

The method of reproduction of the slipper ciliates was experimentally studied. When one individual is transplanted into a separate aquarium, after a day you can already find 2 or 4 microorganisms there. The period of active swimming and feeding ends with the body of the ciliate elongating in length. A deepening constriction appears exactly in the middle, which serves as a place for dividing one microorganism into two. The entire division process under favorable conditions lasts about an hour.

Asexual reproduction of the slipper ciliates occurs as follows: even before a constriction appears on the body, the nuclear apparatus begins to double. The micronuclei divide first, then the turn comes to the macronuclei. In this case, the process of division of a small nucleus resembles mitosis, and that of a large one resembles amitosis.

During this process, a noticeable deep restructuring of the body occurs. Two pharynxes, two oral openings and two peristomes are formed. The cilia covering the body also divide. Thanks to this, the bodies of educated individuals are tightly covered with them.

Sexual reproduction

In some cases, the process of conjugation can be observed. This is the sexual reproduction of the slipper ciliate. It happens as follows: two microorganisms come close together, pressing their abdominal walls against each other. In this form they continue to swim for about 12 hours. Then they separate. At the same time, in the body of the ciliates, the large nucleus disintegrates and gradually dissolves in the cytoplasm. Micronuclei first divide, but some of the nuclei formed during this process disintegrate almost immediately. In each ciliate participating in the process, 2 nuclei remain. One of them remains in place, and the other moves into the partner and merges with the core that the slipper ciliate already had.

The form of reproduction that takes place in this way ensures that the sexes merge. As a result, a special structure called a synkaryon is formed in the ciliates. This is a complex nucleus that divides one or more times and turns into macronuclei. After restoration of the normal nuclear apparatus of ciliates, the process of asexual reproduction continues.

It is important to understand that this method of propagation of the slipper ciliates does not lead to an increase in the population, but to an increase in hereditary diversity.