igi2] 'Anton Richard Rose 45 



diary product in the formation and destruction of the lecithins, and 

 in this way may play an exceedingly important part in the life cf the 

 plant. The possible relation between the two Compounds is shown 

 in the following graphic representation : 



HjOjPOHC— CHOPO3H, — CHOPOjHj 



HjOgPOHg (JHOPOjH, ^ CHOPOjH, 



HjOjPOHC— CHOPOjHj — CHOPO,H, 



2 



The most striking Suggestion as to the functions of inosite-phos- 

 phoric acid is contributed by Starkenstein, who thinks that the 

 inosite is in itself inert and incidental and functions only in its com- 

 bination with phosphorus. He has demonstrated that, in the body, 

 inosite yields lactic acid, an interesting fact in view of its possible 

 significance in carbohydrate formation. He assigns to inosite- 

 phosphoric acid, as its special function, some part in the process of 

 growth, basing his view on his experiments with animals. In har- 

 mony with this view is the distribution of phosphorus in the seed, 

 the greater part being localized in the germ; according to Bernardini 

 over eighty per cent. of the total phosphorus in the rice germ is in 

 the form of inosite-phosphoric acid. It is interesting to note in this 

 connection the Observation of Iwanow that there is a tendency to 

 concentration of phosphorus in the parts of the plant where growth 

 is most active, and also that when the phosphorus supply of the Sub- 

 strate is insufficient, the phosphorus of the other parts of the plant 

 is rapidly transported to the growing shoots. As previously stated 

 the phosphorus of the seed is in the form of the calcium-magnesium 

 Salt of inosite-phosphoric acid, but, according to Posternak, the 

 phosphorus, in transportation, is in the potassium salt of this acid. 



Phyto-phosphoric acids, whether they are inosite esters or other 

 Compounds, undoubtedly play very significant roles in all higher 

 plants, but as their specific functions have not as yet been ascertained, 

 even the chemical structures being as yet uncertain, nearly all State- 

 ments on the subject must be pure conjectures. The chief sug- 

 gestions from experimental work are that these acids are concerned 

 in the process of photo-synthesis or in the changes of the photo-syn- 

 thetic products, for example, the formation of carbohydrates and 

 fats; that it is an intermediary step in the synthesis of phospho-pro- 

 teins and lipoids; and that it acts as a specific Controlling factor in 



