Metachromasia in the Living Cell. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1. Intracellular granular metachromasia, appearing in a sequence of two colors, i.e., pink and purple, is a general phenomenon found in a variety of living cells in tissue culture. 2. In tissue culture cells, the appearance of intracellular granular meta-chromasia is evidence of cell viability and intracellular orthochromasia, one more criterion of cell death. 3. Mast cells, or “precursors” of mast cells cannot be specifically identified by supravital metachromasia. 4. Dye condensation effected by an active process in the cell, as one possible factor in producing vital metachromasia, is discussed.