e p a r t m m t , Prznccton Unwersaty and the Marzne Bzological LaboratoryThere have been a number of recent accounts of a "vibratory moverrierit in the cytoplasm of erythrocytes, " (Pulvertaft, '49; Blowers et al., '51) and a brief historical note by Tompkins ( '53). Under proper optical conditions (phase, darkfield and television microscopy) a normal erythrocyte appears to be undergoing a rhythmical and random alteration of optical density throughout its volume. This phenomenon is frequently called flicker.The interpretation of this phenomenon offered by the foregoing authors is that the concentration of hemoglobin within the red cell varies from moment to moment in any given region of the cell and hence the observed optical density changes. Blowers et al. ( '51)' have presented data which they believe indicate that this phenomenon is linked to the metabolic (glycolytic) activity of the cell.It is our purpose in this paper to present evidence which has forced us to the conclusion that this phenomenon is the resultant of Brownian motion, primarily of the whole cell and secondarily of its plasma membrane. METHOD Television microscopy, using either appochromatic or phase lenses, has been used (Parpart, '51. ; P a r p a r t et al., '53). The red cells to be examined h a r e for the most p a r t been diluted
In the first paper of the present series (Jacobs, 1930), some of the more important advantages of the erythrocyte as material for the study of cell permeability were mentioned. At the same time it was pointed out that because of its peculiar sensitiveness to certain environmental factors whose effects upon ordinary cells are much less noticeable, the erythrocyte has acquired an undeserved reputation for variability in its osmotic behavior. In the present paper, the nature and magnitude of the effects of three such factors, namely, pH, temperature and oxygen tension, will be considered. It will be shown that at least two of them have for the erythrocyte an importance entirely out of proportion to that observed in the case of other cells and that their neglect in osmotic studies on this type of material is certain to lead to serious difficulties.A survey of the literature shows that the importance of the first of the three factors was recognized by Hamburger, the pioneer worker in the field of osmotic hemolysis, whose numerous earlier studies are conveniently summarized in his book, " Osmotischer Druck und lonenlehre " (T902). Hamburger, to be sure, did not distinguish clearly between the titratable acidity or alkalinity of a solution and its true reaction, now commonly expressed as pH ; but he did, nevertheless, show conclusively that changes of the blood in the acid direction, whether 7 95 TENSION ON HEMOLYSIS BY HYPOTONIC SOLUTIONS." The Biological bulletin 60, 95-119.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.