Morphogenesis and metabolism: studies with the cartesian diver ultramicromanometer I. Anaerobic glycolysis of the regions of the amphibian gastrula

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Abstract
I. The principle of the Cartesian diver, as employed by Linderstrom-Lang for an ultramicro-manometer, is 1500 times more sensitive than the Warburg manometer. The method of calibration of the diver manometer and the technique of measuring the anaerobic glycolysis of pieces (100 mg. dry wt.) of amphibian embryo in such an apparatus is described. The dorsal blastopore lip region, an organization centre, of the amphibian gastrula has 3 times the anaerobic glycolysis and anaerobic ammonia production of the ventral ectoderm. II. Dinitro-o-cresol caused a 300% increase in the uncompensated CO2 output of the ventral ectoderm of the frog gastrula. Ammonia production was much less affected, showing that the anaerobic glycolytic rate was increased to an intermediate extent. All changes were more marked in the ventral ectoderm than in the dorsal lip region. III. The Cartesian diver manometer has been adapted for the measurement of O2 consumption. The respiratory rates of the dorsal lip region and the ventral ectoderm from gastrulae of Discoglossus and Amblystoma appears to be identical. IV. During amphibian gastrulation (Amblystoma) the dorsal lip region shows a greater trend towards a respiratory quotient of unity than does the ventral ectoderm. Though the R.Q. of the latter rises, it is doubtful whether it attains unity before it is completely underlain by mesoderm.

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