The Action of Electrolytes on the Physical State of Protoplasm

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Abstract
Brief review of the author''s micromanipulative work on protoplasm of living cells. The essential nature of the limiting surface membrane or plasmalemma is shown. When disintegrated by means of a rapid tear the denuded protoplasm dissipates. With a slow tear the plasmalemma rapidly reforms and the integrity of the protoplasm is maintained. Differences in the physiological behavior of the cytoplasm of the starfish egg can be demonstrated on isolating the internal from the cortical protoplasm by causing the interior to flow out through a surface tear. The isolated internal mass is non-fertilizable, the collapsed cortical remnant is fer-tilizable. Microinjection experiments show specific differences between the action of monovalent and divalent cations on internal protoplasm and on plasmalemma. NaCl and KC1 liquefy, CaCl2 and MgCl2 solidify the internal protoplasm. NaCl and, to a lesser extent, KC1 tend to disintegrate the plasmalemma; CaCl2 and MgCl2 exert no appreciable effect on it. An adequate appreciation of protoplasmic behavior can be obtained only by discrimination between different regions of protoplasm.

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