304 IV. THE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE PHENOMENA 



it might be the main component itself. 



To sum up, in order to elucidate the phenomenon of absorption 

 and excretion the assumption of a semipermeable membrane seems not 

 only unnecessary, but it is obvious that even if such a membrane 

 could exist, the phenomenon would not be explained by the mem- 

 brane. 



If absorption took place always through the semi-permeable mem- 

 brane, any penetration of macromolecular substances into cells would 

 be impossible. However, this seems the case. Thus, according to 

 Coons et al. (140) various protein injected intravenously into mice 

 were clearly demonstrated in the unaltered form in the nuclei of 

 certain normal cells, often even in higher concentrations than in the 

 cytoplasm. If proteins were adsorbed by nuclei, they would naturally 

 be found in the nuclei. The specific pattern of the protoplasm is 

 expected to be strongest in the nucleus, and so the proteins, if the 

 adsorptive force is involved in the specific pattern, will be most 

 strikingly adsorbed by the nucleus. Again, there are evidences, as 

 mentioned already (Part II, Chapter VII) that virus nucleic acid or 

 its components can readily penetrate into the host cells. In this case, 

 the specific pattern of the host" protoplasm must involve the specific 

 adsorptive force directing to the virus, and the pattern may be most 

 powerful in the nucleus or in some cytoplasmic particles. Hence, the 

 penetration into the cell of the nucleic acid in which the specific 

 structure of the virus is retained should naturally follow. 



Anderson (141) found that phage could be inactivated by suspending 

 the particles in high concentrations of sodium chloride, and rapidly 

 diluting the suspension with water. The inactivated phage was visible 

 in electron micrographs as tadpole-shaped "ghosts." Since no inacti- 

 vation occurred if the dilution was slow, he attributed the inactivation 

 to "osmotic shock" and inferred that the particles possessed a semi- 

 permeable membrane. However, this phenomenon should be interpreted 

 as based upon a structural derangement of phage protein due to the 

 rapid release of adsorbed ions. As a result of this derangement, the 

 association between nucleic acid and protein may be destroyed, as it 

 is reported that DNA is released by this procedure (142). It is a note- 

 worthy fact that the ghost could adsorb to bacteria and lyse them, 

 though it cannot act as the active virus. 



3. The Movement of Organisms 



Protein molecules in protoplasm are mutually associated and orderly 

 arranged, and can readily change their structure as a single system 



