The influence of ammonium salts on the reaction of the protoplasm of amoebocytes.

Abstract

We have previously 1 shown that amoebocytes of Limulus stained with neutral red are a favorable object for the study of the penetration of acid and alkali into the living cells. We found that if a N/1000 HC1 solution in N/2 NaCl is allowed to act on stained amoebocytes, the acid penetrates within a minute or two into such cells and causes the granules to give off their stain. After this discolorization has taken place, the cells are still able to carry out amoeboid movements, after the acid has been replaced by a N/1000 NaOH solution in N/2 NaCl. The acid penetrated, therefore, into the living amoebocytes. If we surround amoebocytes, previously stained with neutral red with very dilute isotonic or slightly hypertonic solutions of ammonium carbonate, ammonia, or ammonium phosphate, the red color of the granules changes to yellow, indicating that the NH₄OH (NH₃) has penetrated into the cells and affected the granules. Such cells may likewise still be able to undergo amoeboid movement. However, in some cases droplets within the cell may retain the red stain, indicating that the NH₄OH did not penetrate into these droplets or at least was unable to change their acid reaction. If we now replace the ammonium salts or ammonia by isotonic N/1000 HC1, the acid penetrates into these yellow amoebocytes and decolorizes them. As in our previous observations, we noticed that after the granules have given off their stain, the droplets may retain a red color for some time. This suggests that in the droplets the neutral red is not present in the same state as in the granules. In the latter the stain is probably bound chemically or by adsorption to the surface of the granules, while in the droplets it is apparently dissolved in the fluid.