Cellular Narcosis of Paramecium multimicronucleatum by Xenon and Other Chemically Inert Gases*

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Abstract
SYNOPSIS. Xenon applied at sufficient pressures ranging from 30 pounds per square inch to 225 p.s.i. caused reduction in contractile vacuole activity, increase in cellular volume, expansion of the surface region, cessation of forward movement, and cytolysis of paramecia. Krypton at 915 p.s.i. prevented contractile vacuole activity, but forward movement continued for at least 30 min. When subjected to 115 p.s.i. of N2O, paramecia moved in slow oscillations, and contractile vacuoles failed to empty. At 265 p.s.i. of N2O movement ceased and cytolysis resulted. The pressure required to terminate movement in the same time interval following application of the pressure was less for N2O than for xenon. The expansion of the surface of the cells suggests that inert gases produce narcosis by dissolving into this region.

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