CELL STRUCTURE AND VALVE MORPHOGENESIS OF A CENTRIC DIATOM STEPHANODISCUS MEYERI

Cell structure and the siliceous cell wall morphogenesis of a freshwater diatom Stefanodiscus meyeri cultured from Lake Baikal was studied using confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. We have described the stages of building the siliceous ultrastructures which are characteristic for this species. The data acquired in this work is important for understanding the diatom evolution that created the great variety of genetically determined silica structures, as well as for the development of bioinspired technologies.