322 IV. THE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE PHENOMENA 



a certain restricted portion of which is of strong structure, and it 

 can accordingly direct only a restricted portion of the protoplasm 

 protein corresponding to the restricted strong structure, other portions 

 being governed by other genes. 



The protoplasm is a kind of mixed crystals composed of a variety 

 of molecules or molecular aggregates, but the polar groups of the 

 molecules must be arranged in an equal way in order to coexist in one 

 and the same protoplasm. The pattern of this arrangement is subjected 

 to the genes, and therefore the "crystal shape" of the protoplasm is 

 determined by the genes. 



Principal components of this mixed crystal are elementary bodies, 

 the chemical composition of which can not therefore be uniform even 

 in one and the same protoplasm. Because of this different chemical 

 composition, some elmentary bodies can behave as genes and some others 

 as specific enzymes. 



There are two types of nucleic acids in protoplasm ; one is des- 

 oxyribonucleic acid and the other ribonucleic acid. The former seems 

 stronger than the latter in their stabilizing action of protoplasm and 

 so the elementary bodies containing the former can behave as genes, 

 whereas those containing the latter are present in cytoplasm to be 

 controlled by the genes, and apparently participate in the synthesis of 

 proteins to endow the specific pattern directed by the genes to newly 

 formed proteins. 



The genes thus control the pattern of all the proteins in the pro- 

 toplasm, whereas all the proteins can be regarded as enzymes in a 

 wide sense. All the enzymes, therefore, including enzymes in a narrow 

 sense present in the cell, are to be subjected to the genes. 



Hormones are looked upon as substances produced physiologically 

 by organisms for the purpose of interfering with the action of genes. 

 They may be capable of directing the pattern of the protoplasm in a 

 certain direction according to their specific structure, thus giving rise 

 to the shape and function, favourable for the organi?,ms, which cannot 

 be attained by the genes. 



Various inorganic ions, like hormones, can exhibit similar effects 

 upon the pattern of the protoplasm. However the ions, unlike hormones, 

 are not the substances produced by organisms, but are the normal pro- 

 toplasm components usually present there in large quantities, so that 

 their effect must be extensive if not so strong in themselves as hormones. 

 Organisms can develop various shapes and functions which vary with 



