326 Granule Cells of Paneth in Intestinal Glands of Mammals 



diffuse reaction is obtained indicating that the specific substance on which 

 the staining reaction of the basal filaments depends is present although 

 not definitely organized in the form of filaments. 



The absence of the basal filaments from the majority of the cells of 

 the animal which has been kept constantly supplied with food is doubtless 

 due to the fact that in this case the cells are subjected to a physiological 

 stimulus which is practically continuous, which results in a constant 

 drain on the reserve substances of the secretion, both the granular zymo- 

 gen and its antecedent prozymogen. 



FIG. 5. End of gland of Lieberkiihn of guinea-pig six hours after food. 

 Preparation stained in iron-alum hematoxylin and mucicarmine; Leitz 1/12, 

 Oc. 4. 



In order to determine the effect of physiological stimulation on the 

 Paneth cells I have examined them in sections taken at gradually in- 

 creasing intervals after feeding, from animals which have previously 

 fasted for twenty-four hours in order to bring the cells to the condition 

 of maximum loading. The results of these experiments show beyond a 

 a doubt that the cells of Paneth respond to the stimulus of food, although 

 considerable differences were found in the rate of disappearance of the 

 granules in different sets of experiments. The condition of the cell in 

 animals which have fasted for twenty-four hours has been already de- 



