FATS LECITHIN CHOLESTEROL. 1 15 



distributed in the vegetable world, more especially in seeds. During 

 germination the lecithin content increases. 1 



In digestion, lecithin acts in an analogous manner to the fats; in fact, it 

 resembles these very closely in every respect. It forms an emulsion with 

 water. It partly resembles a colloid. Lecithin is decomposed by lipase 

 into glycero-phosphoric acid, free fatty acids and choline; it is not cer- 

 tain that the decomposition of lecithin in the alimentary tract is complete, 

 nor that unchanged lecithin can be directly absorbed. It is rather to be 

 assumed that its components are separately turned over to the organism 

 for further use. 



The wide distribution of lecithin leads us to conclude justly that it is 

 of great importance to the animal organism. We, however, know little 

 about its function at present. From its constitution we can indeed 

 assume that it acts as an intermediary body between various groups of 

 compounds. We easily recognize its relation to the fats, from which it 

 perhaps derives two components, the fatty acids and glycerol. On the other 

 hand, lecithin evidently acts as a bridge to the very important nucleins. 

 It is possible that lecithin plays a leading part in the internal metabolism 

 of the cells. To a certain extent it represents the fat of the cells. 

 Furthermore, it unites the inorganic foods with the organic ones. The 

 nucleins possibly obtain their phosphoric acid from lecithin. 



We do not know anything at present concerning the occurrence of 

 lecithin in the organs. It may be there in the free state, or it may enter 

 into numerous combinations. Many lecithides have been described, but 

 as lecithin has the property of readily enclosing other substances, e.g., 

 albumin, all such claims should, for the moment, be regarded with 'con- 

 siderable skepticism. 



The following experiments 2 may possibly give us some conception of the 

 functions of lecithin, even if only indirectly. If we remove every trace of 

 serum from the blood corpuscles by means of a centrifugal machine, and 

 careful washing with physiological sodium chloride solution, the corpuscles 

 are not dissolved by the cobra poison of the Naja snake, when suspended 

 in an isotonic sodium chloride solution. The process of dissolving the 

 blood corpuscles in such a way is called hemolysis, and the poisons 

 causing this are hemolytic. If the serum is not separated from the 

 blood corpuscles they immediately go into solution on adding cobra poison; 

 i.e., the hemoglobin diffuses from the blood corpuscles into the surround- 

 ing medium. We can show the influence of serum in a better way 

 by taking thoroughly-washed blood corpuscles, suspending them in a 



1 Cf. E. Schulze and A. Lickiernik: Z. physiol. Chem. 15, 405 (1891). 



3 Cf. S. Flexner and H. Noguchi: J. Exp. Med. 6, No. 3 (1902). P. Kyes: Berl. klin. 

 Wochensch. 38/39 (1902), Nos. 2-4 (1903); Z. physiol. Chem. 41, 273 (1904). E 

 Abderhalden and Le Count: Z. exp. Path. Therap. 2, 199 (1905). 



