STUDIES OF AMITOSIS 509 



t 



mitotic figures. The assumption seems to be supported b}^ the 

 fact that as soon as the effect of the chemical ceases, the cells 

 divide by a normal mitotic method. Nuclear phenomenon of 

 such nature may, therefore, be called an experimental, or arti- 

 ficial amitosis, or 'pseudoamitosis,' as suggested by Hacker 

 ('00), and may be considered entirely apart from the normal 

 process of direct nuclear division. Indeed, if the assumption be 

 true, this peculiar 'artificial amitosis' must be regarded as a 

 type of mitosis, instead of one of amitosis. 



In connection with the experimental data, it may be well to 

 call attention to the repeated experiments with chloral hydrate 

 on Vicia, Pisum, and Allium by Nemec ('04), who strongly 

 maintains that the so-called amitosis in Wasielewski's case is 

 really nothing but the conjugation of the nuclei. 



V. CONCLUSIONS 



We have seen that the nuclear phenomena which were pre- 

 viously known collectively as amitosis may really be of different 

 natures. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that any one of 

 the suggested theories is inadequate for the explanation of all. 



Whatever be the true nature of ' amitosis' claimed to occur in 

 rapidly growing tissues, and that of the 'artificial amitosis,' my 

 observations and considerations on the subject as described in 

 this paper, seem to lead to the conclusion that — ■ 



Amitosis, occurring in secreting or reserve-forming cells, and 

 in other cells of similar activity, may be for the purpose of se- 

 curing an increase of the nuclear surface to meet the physiologi- 

 cal necessity due to the active metabolic interchanges between 

 the nucleus and cytoplasm. Apparently it is not a method of 

 cell-multiplication, nor a sign of degeneration or senescence of 

 cells, but, whenever it occurs, it seems to indicate an intense 

 activity in the vegetative functions of the cell. 



