THE BEHAVIOR OF MITOCHONDRIA 45 



living as well as fixed material, that there is nothing to 

 indicate a fundamental difference between the two struc- 

 tures. \Miile she admits that she has not observed mito- 

 chondria transforming into dictosomes (Golgi bodies), nor 

 does the hterature refer to any such observations, she 

 maintains that the apparent identity in chemical nature 

 points to a similarity in origin. 



It would be premature to draw definite conclusions as to 

 the relationship of these two groups of cell structures on 

 the evidence at hand. However, it is proper to suggest 

 the probabihty that mitochondria and the Golgi bodies 

 are at least related structures, and that in some instances 

 secretion may be derived directly from the mitochondria, 

 wliile in other cases the mitochondrial bodies first transform 

 into a reticulated apparatus before secretory activities begin. 

 Evidence has been presented by the author (IValhn, '24) 

 that the mitochondria in a single cell are not all alike. 

 When using the Giemsa stain, some mitochondria stain 

 blue while others are stained red. Karpova emphasizes 

 the fact that there is a greater difference between the mito- 

 chondria and the chloroplasts derived from them than there 

 is between mitochondria and dictosomes. In this connec- 

 tion it should be further emphasized that there is no good 

 reason for assuming that the secretory mechanism is the 

 same in all kinds of cells. On the contrary, it is well known 

 that there are gross variations in the behavior of the cells 

 of different secreting glands. Does this not at least allow 

 for variation also in the internal secretory mechanism. 



Ludford ('25a) discusses the role of mitochondria and the 

 Golgi apparatus during secretion in the epidid\T:nis, and 

 says: "At the onset of secretion the mitochondria increase 

 in numbers, and there is a diminution after secretory ac- 

 tivity, so that they contribute to the production of formed 

 bodies seems practically certain, but the exact nature of 

 their contribution is a matter for theoretical discussion 



