... solutes in a non-selective manner, whereas macrostome cells are predators that consume specific prey ciliates. In the present study, we investigated a possible correlation between phagocytosis and mechanosensitivity in macrostome T. vorax . Microstome cells seem to be insensitive to mechanical stimulation...

...Heidi K. Grønlien; Trond Berg; Arne M. Løvlie SUMMARY Ciliates use phagocytosis to acquire edible particles. The polymorphic ciliate Tetrahymena vorax appears in two forms (`microstomes' and`macrostomes'). Transformation of microstomes into macrostomes takes place in the presence of the ciliate...