MITOCHONDRIA IN VERTEBRATE NERVE CELLS 



11 



OBSERVATIONS 



The evidence which I have gathered together for the identifi- 

 cation of mitochondria in the spinal ganglion cells of vertebrates'^ 

 is based on a consideration of their morphology, distribution, 

 staining reactions and solubilities. It is set forth in table 1. 

 The spinal ganglion cells of man, for example, contain rod-like 

 bodies; which occur in the axone and axone hillock, as well as 



in the cell body; which stain characteristically by the mito- 

 chondrial methods of Bensley, Altmann and others; which are 

 fixed by the action of 2 per cent osmic acid and are destroyed 

 by the acetic acid in Zenker's fluid. They may, therefore, be 

 termed mitochondria and are represented in figure 1, ?«. In 

 the table ' -\-' signifies a positive reaction, '—'a negative one. 

 'V a doubtful one and, where there is no record, it is to be under- 

 stood that the test has not been applied. 



' Mitochondria also occur in the nerve cells of invertebrates. I have dem- 

 onstrated them with both janus green and the anilin fuchsin methyl green method 

 in the nerve cells of Callinectes hastatus. Cancer borealis, Limulus polyphemus, 

 Fulgur canaliculatus and Nereis virens; and with janus green alone in Eshna, 

 Loligo pealii, Homarus americanus, Venus mercenaria and Mytilus edulis. They 

 are rather more variable in number, size and staining reactions in invertebrate 

 than in vertebrate nerve cells. 



