302 IV. THE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE PHENOMENA 



Such a phenomenon is not confined to virus particles, but is 

 generally recognized with protoplasm particles without concerning 

 virus activity. Even with coagulated casein particles similar results 

 are obtained. In addition, not only with sugars but also with various 

 inorganic salts related phenomena are demonstrated. 



In view of these facts, it may be concluded that the absorption of 

 a substance by a cell may be raised by a physicochemical combination 

 of the substance with the protoplasm protein of the cell. The com- 

 bination may be called adsorption, which may be established according 

 to the structure of the protoplasm protein, so that absorption and ex- 

 cretion may take place in response to the change of the structure. 

 On the other hand, as the protoplasm proteins are arranged so as to 

 easily achieve structural changes, the absorption and excretion of a 

 certain substance, if occurred in this manner, could be accomplished 

 with ease. 



The writer (131) once expressed the opinion that the oscillation 

 phenomena referred to in the preceding section might be accounted 

 for by such absorption and excretion of the virus inactivating agents 

 in question, but it must be more reasonable to consider that this 

 phenomenon of absorption and excretion is rather based upon the 

 oscillation of protein structure ; that is to say, the structure of the 

 protoplasm particles, including virus particles, used in the experiments 

 were presumably highly disturbed by the preliminary treatment, and 

 the disturbed structure would be striving to resume its original state 

 in an oscillating way during the experiments, taking a certain struc- 

 ture at a period and another structure at another, so that even so 

 slight a manipulation as the addition of sugar or other substances 

 might be sufficient to effect the phase of the oscillation according to 

 the concentration, and in conformity with the change in the structure 

 absorption or excretion might take place. 



In any case, it may be said that a certain substance is adsorbed 

 by, or eluted from, a protein, if the structure of the portein is pro- 

 perly changed. Absorption and excretion of substances by a living 

 cell must be attributed to such adsorption and elution. 



Being consistent with this concept, it has been found by klotz et 

 al. (135) that there are structural specificities in the interactions of 

 some organic ions with serum albumin. Human albumin undergoes 

 major configurational changes with changes in pH, making new sites 

 available for interaction with ions of specific structural properties. 

 Thus, it is obvious that albumin can absorb and excrete some organic 

 substances when pH of the solution is changed. Moreover, it has 

 been shown that human serum albumin combines preferentially with 

 chloride ion in sodium chloride solutions, even when the net charge 



