SECRETION IN FOLLICLE CELLS. 225 



more particular interpretation, when it is found in connection 

 with intense secretory activity, in which the nucleus plays so 

 large a part as in these follicle cells. The proportionately great 

 increase in nuclear and nucleolar surface which is the result of 

 amitosis in these cells would appear to be a distinct advantage 

 in their secretory activities, and might represent one phase in 

 the cells' differentiation. Indeed the behavior of these cells 

 bears little resemblance to the usual processes of cell division. 



B. RELATIONSHIP OF MITOCHONDRIA WITH YOLK. 



It is not generally conceded by American cytologists that 

 mitochondria actually metamorphose into the constituents of 

 yolk, or of other secretions; nor is it even generally held that 

 these bodies play an intimate part in the production of secretions 

 by secretory cells. Lewis and Lewis (1915), in a review of the 

 literature on mitochondria and a description of their own obser- 

 vations of mitochondria in tissue cultures, state that they find 

 no direct relation between mitochondria and the formation of fat. 

 In a summary (1916) of the functional significance of mito- 

 chondria, Cowdry quotes Mathews (1915) in saying that mito- 

 chondria are related to the phospholipins found in all cells, 

 whose function undoubtedly is to produce, with cholesterol, the 

 peculiar semi-fluid, semi-solid state of protoplasm. Kingsbury 

 (1912) describes mitochondria as intermediate products of 

 metabolism, the structural expression of reducing bodies in 

 respiration. 



There seems, however, to be some evidence in the cricket egg 

 that the mitochondria play here a rather specialized role in 

 secretion. The fuchsinophile granules of the yolk, whether 

 derived from the mitochondria of the follicle cells, as suggested, 

 or not, are very similar to them in form and staining reactions; 

 and are indistinguishable from any mitochondria which might 

 be native to the egg. These are very intimately associated 

 with the two larger kinds of globules in the oocyte. Very 

 similar granules also are found in the position of a cortex around 

 the distal droplets. Although the resemblance, as regards 

 staining, between the mitochondria of the follicle cell and the 

 granules in these two locations is not exact, it is nevertheless so 



