Representative images of the digestive diverticula of juvenile E. chlorotica allowed to feed on V. litorea for 5 days prior to being starved of food ( = transient kleptoplasty).
Animals were starved for 1 day (A), 3 days (B) or 7 days (C). The same age control animals, allowed to feed continuously, are in the corresponding position in the bottom panels (D–F). Plastid decay and LD degradation are apparent in the animals removed from food in comparison to the same age controls. LD: Lipid droplet, P: plastid, Lu: lumen, N: E. chlorotica nucleus, Ps: phagosome; arrows indicate decaying plastids, black marks in F are staining artifacts.
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