THE BEHAVIOR OF MITOCHONDRIA 57 



The interest and significance attached to this hypothetical 

 mechanism of cell division becomes more apparent when we 

 reaUze the bearing it has on the analysis of such uncon- 

 trolled growth as we find in neoplastic diseases. Obvi- 

 ously, it will require experimentation and more extensive 

 analysis to determine the reahty and nature of this prob- 

 able growth mechanism. While this hypothesis of the 

 mechanism of cell division may appear to be highly specu- 

 lative, the variation in mitochondrial content of young and 

 senile cells, together with the above mentioned responses 

 of mitochondria in dying cells, gives reasonable grounds 

 for advancing the hypothesis. 



