Quantitative Laws in Metabolism and Growth

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Abstract
Work aimed at establishing connections between metabolism and growth is reviewed. In the various animal classes, 3 metabolic types or forms of dependence of metabolic rate on body size, can be distinguished: proportionality of metabolic rate to surface area, or to weight, or one intermediate between surface and weight proportionality. The various theories regarding the size dependence of metabolism are discussed, with particular consideration of the relation of tissue respiration to body size. A general theory of animal growth, advanced by the author, permits explanation of the connection between metabolic types and growth types, the latter distinguished by different growth curves of the species concerned. The theory is illustrated by examples taken from invertebrate and vertebrate classes.