The effect of heparinase on the mucilage

(a) Untreated basal full seawater cell, stain Alcian Blue at pH 1, The layered stained appearance is typical. Bar = 50 microns

(b) Heparinased basal cell, stained with Alcian Blue at pH 1. Mucilage is only faintly stained (arrow), indicating disordering of the sulphated polysaccharides layer. Bar = 100 microns

(c) Untreated basal full seawater cell, stained with Toluidine Blue at pH 1. The mucilage stains heavily, indicating presence of sulphated polysaccharides. Bar = 50 microns

(d) Heparinased basal cell of a full seawater plant, stained with Toluidine Blue at pH 1. The cell was treated with heparinase for 2.5 days, and exterior of the mucilage had been sloughed off (arrow), leaving a new, but still unstained layer beneath. Bar = 100 microns