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ox THE BIICRO-CHEMISTRY OF CELLS. , 451 



4. On the Jlici-o-chemistri/ of OxypldJe Granules, by Dr. J. J. Mac- 

 kenzie. — Observations on the eosiiiophilous cells of the bone marrow of 

 the cat and frog and on the same variety of cells from the ccelomic cavity 

 of the frog show that although there is obtained in the granules a distinct 

 iron reaction with ammonium sulphide when the preparation is kept in a 

 mixture of this reagent and glycerine at a temperature of 5.'J-60° C. for 

 7 to 10 days the reaction is not nearly so marked as in the nuclear chromatin 

 of the same cells and is less readily demonstrated. The method in which 

 acid alcohol is used to liberate the iron from its ' masked ' condition, and 

 htvmatoxylin to demonstrate the liberated iron, does not reveal the iron 

 in these granules ; at most with this method one finds a slight reaction in 

 the perigranular protoplasm, but not in the granules themselves. These 

 granules give a reaction for phosphorus when they are treated with a 

 nitric acid solution of ammonium molybdatc for some liours, and sub- 

 sequently with a solution of phenylhydrazine hydrochloride. The reaction 

 is much more marked than that in the nuclear chromatin. It is evident 

 from these oljservations that the substance forming the eosinophilous 

 granules is a nucleo-proteid containing traces of iron, and that it is 

 probably a derivative of nuclear chromatin. 



5. Oii the Micru-chemistry of the Nucleus, by Dr. F. H. Scott. — It 

 was found that the non-chromatiii and non- nucleolar portions of the 

 nuclei in gland cells which constitute the lanthaniu of Heidenhain and 

 the ozdematlii of Reinke, though soluljle in gastric juice, give evidence of 

 the presence of ' masked ' iron and organic phosphorus in small j^rojjor- 

 tions. Similar evidence was obtained in the case of the non-nucleolar and 

 non-chromatin portions of the nuclei of nerve-cells. It is probable that 

 lanthanin or osdematin, while unlike a nucleo-proteid in some respects, is a 

 closely related compound. 



During the past year the following papers, including observations on 

 the micro- chemistry of cells made during the last two years, were 

 published : — 



1. On the Structure, Micro-chemist ri/, and Development of Nerve Cells, with 

 Special Reference to their Nuclein Compounds. By Dr. F. H. Scott, ' Trans. 

 Can. Inst.,' vol. vi. p. 405, and University of Toronto Studies, Physiological 

 Series, No. 1. 



2. On the Cijtoloyij of Non-nucleated Organisms, Uy Professor A. B. Macal- 

 lum, 'Trans. Can. Inst.,' vol. vi. p. 439, and University of Toronto Studies, 

 Physiological Series, No. 2. 



Summary of Br, Scott's Paper. 



The Nissl granules were found to contain * masked ' iron and organic 

 phosphorus and to be unaffected by treatment with artificial gastric juice. 

 They are therefore constituted of a nucleo-proteid in many respects allied 

 to chromatin. It differs, however, from the nuclear chromatin which is 

 basophile and from the substance forming the oxyphile centre of the 

 nucleoli and the material diffused through the nuclear cavity in fully 

 developed nerve-cells. The latter substance also contains organic phos- 

 phorus and ' masked ' iron, and is digestible in artificial gastric juice. 

 These three nucleo-proteids are derived from the original kinetic chromatin 

 of the neuroblast, and the substance forming the Nissl granules is the only 

 nucleo-proteid of the three that diffuses from the nucleus. In some forms 

 this diffusion does not take place in the fully developed cell, or does so 



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