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such action may be positive, increasing the speed of reaction, or 
negative, diminishing the speed of reaction.” 
In addition to this, “ the cell can store up chemical energy, 
either by using energy in other forms and converting it into 
•chemical energy, or by linking several reactions together, and 
transforming the chemical energy obtained from some, back to 
chemical energy which is stored up in others. Finally, the cell 
can modify its activities, and alter its action as a transformer, 
changing entirely the course of the reaction it induces and the 
products obtained, while the type of action of the enzyme is 
simple, selective, and entirely fixed.” 
The specific function of certain chromomeres shown by the 
work of Morgan (4.8) leads one to think that perhaps their influence 
is exerted upon the cytoplasm by enzyme action ; and with regard 
to this reaction it should be noted that any one enzyme is only 
capable of effecting a particular molecular structure or grouping. 
Should enzymes be formed within the nucleus in appreciable 
amount, they would appear in fixed material, as they have been 
found to be colloidal and not to diffuse through parchment 
membranes ; at least if they do so the process is very slow, therefore 
we should expect them to coagulate and stain. It is suggestive 
to observe here that the nucleolus usually makes its appearance 
amongst the chromosomes after cell division, and even m those 
cases where no nucleolar extrusion has been observed, during 
mitosis part of the nucleolar substance possibly dissolves in the 
cytoplasm. As we have scarcely any evidence for chromatin 
extrusions from somatic and developing cells, and a considerable 
number of observations upon extrusions of nucleolar substance, it 
is not improbable that such extrusions represent the passing out 
of the nucleus of enzymes elaborated by the chromosomes. 
- The view of some observers that preparatory to chromosome 
formation, during the prophase of cell division, there is combination 
between chromatin and nucleolar material, may be explained on 
this hypothesis by regarding the nucleolar material which combines 
with the chromosomes as anti-enzymes, which temporarily put a 
stop to the enzyme activities of the chromosomes. During the 
telophase these anti-enzymes collect together again to form the 
new nucleolus of the daughter-cells. 
There is, however, another biochemical interpretation that can 
be applied to the facts available. Chemically the nucleus is 
characterized by nucleo-proteids. When these are decomposed 
they form nuclein and protein. Nuclein can be hydrolysed into 
nucleic acid and protein, while nucleic acid breaks down into 
phosphoric acid, carbohydrate and purine and pyramidine bases. 
These changes are all induced by enzymes. The purine bases are 
deamidised by other enzymes, and the final oxidation product is 
uric acid (^7). In the breaking down of complex molecules, 
