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No. 34. 



ON THE SUPPOSED HOMOLOGY OP THE GOLGI ELEMENTS OF 

 THE MAMMALIAN NERVE CELL, AND THE NEBENKERN 

 BATONETTES OF THE GENIT^VL CELLS OP INVERTEBRATES. • 



By F. W. ROGERS BRAMBELL, B.A., Sc.B. (Dubl.) ; 



AND 



J. BRONTE GATENBY, M.A. (Duel.), D.Phil. (Oxon.), D.Sc. (Lond.). 



(Plate XVII.) 

 [Bead Novembek 27. Printed December 10, 1923.] 



I. — Introduction and Summary of Previous Wobk. 



In the year 1898 Camillo Golgi (5) demonstrated, for the first time, the "apparato 

 retieulare interno" in the nerve ganglion cells of the spinal cord. About the 

 same time, but quite independently, Veratti achieved a similar result. Since 

 then much work has been done on the Golgi apparatus of the somatic cells of 

 vertebrates, and it has, in consequence, been demonstrated in all the cells that 

 have been carefully examined by competent observers. Weigl, Hirscliler, 

 Gatenby, and others have applied the silver and osmium methods to the germ 

 cells of invertebrates, and have demonstrated in them an apparatus which can 

 be followed through the various stages of maturation, fertilization, and develop- 

 ment. This apparatus is, in all probability, an integral part of every animal 

 cell at some period of its life. The apparatus of the reproductive cells of the 

 invertebrates, the "nebenkern" of some older writers, is considered by many to 

 be strictly homologous to the Golgi apparatus of the vertebrate ganglion cells. 

 In this paper we have endeavoured to state the evidence, already known, bearing 

 on this question, and to put forward some more which we have gleaned by a 

 cai'eful study of the ganglion and other cells of Helix. We venture to believe 

 that the whole body of evidence is sufficient to prove beyond doubt the homology 

 of the ' ' Golgi ' ' bodies found in the various animal cells already mentioned. 



II. — Methods and Technique. 



The following work was carried out on Helix asjMrsa. As it was carried 

 out in winter, the specimens employed had to be roused from their hibernation 

 by immersing them in warm water. When a specimen was required for work, 

 its head was cut off with a razor, without the use of anj^ aneesthetic, and the 

 cephalic ganglion was quickly excised and transferred immediately to a capsule 

 of the fixative. 



Da Fano's Golgi apparatus technique was employed with success. The best 

 results were obtained with this method by fixing for two hours, washing quickly 

 in aq. dist., and transferring to 1-5 per cent, silver nitrate solution. After being 

 kept in the dark for two days the specimens were quickly washed in aq. dist. 



SCIUNT. PROO. R.D.S., VOL. XVII, NO. 34. 3 E 



