CONTENTS 



Page 



Preface to the Fifth Russian Edition vii 



Editors' Note xi 



Introduction ^^^ 



CHAPTER I 

 Physico'chemical Organization of the Plant 



1. Basic Features of the Structure and Composition of the Plant 



Cell 1 



2. General Concept of the Colloidal State and Fundamental Proper- 

 ties of Cell Colloids 3 



3. Properties of Proteins and Other Hydrophihc Colloids. Structure 



of the Cell Wall and of the Protoplasm 7 



4. The Cell as a Colloidal System. Osmosis and the Properties of 

 Cell Membranes 1 1 



5. Permeabihty and Plasmolysis. Osmotic Pressure of the Cell Sap 

 and Methods of Its Determination 16 



6. Water Penetration into the Cell. Suction Tension and Methods 



for Its Determination 20 



7. Composition and Structure of the Plasma Membrane in Relation 



to Permeability 25 



8. Conditions for the Accumulation of Substances in Cells 28 



CHAPTER II 

 Chemical Composition of Plants and Their Basic Metabolism 



9. Chemical Composition of Protoplasm. Reserve and Structural 

 Substances ^4 



10. Carbohydrates " - 37 



11. Reserve Fats, Lipoids, and Phosphatides. Organic Acids 46 



12. Reserve Proteins and Products of Their Hydrolytic Decomposition 50 



13. Hydrolytic Decomposition of Reserve Carbohydrates and Fats by 

 Enzymes during Germination of Seeds ■ ^^ 



14. Decomposition of Reserve Proteins during Germination. Prote- 

 olytic Enzymes ^9 



15. General Properties of Enzymes. Methods of Their Isolation 

 and Purification 61 



16. Influence of the Condition of the Medium upon the Activity of 

 Enzymes. Specificity of Function of Enzymes and Their Classifi- 

 cation 66 



17. Synthetic Processes during Germination. The Utihzation of 

 Carbohydrates and Fats in Germinating Seeds 69 



xiii 



