The influence of metallic mercury on the respiration of cells

✍ Scribed by Selzer, Ludwig ;Baumberger, J. Percy

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1942
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 390 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0095-9898
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1030190304

✦ Synopsis

The determination of the oxygen consumption of a yeast cell suspeasion by means of the dropping mercury electrode method has been well developed by the work of Baumberger ('39), Baker and Baumberger ( '41), hliiller ( '42) and Winzler ( '41).

This method compares very accurately with other standard methods of analysis. However, it can only be applied to homogenous suspensions which remain stationary while the oxygen consumption is determined. I n order to measure the Qo, of larger cell masses, i.e., eggs or tissue slices in suspension, it would be necessary t o stir the suspension in order to keep the solution at a uniform content of oxygen. In addition to developing a new method in which the dropping mercury electrode can be used in a stirred solution, some observations are described which throw light on the role of sulfhydryl groups in cellular metabolism and on the difference in location of the SH groups involved in endogenous and exogenous metabolism.

'The two vessel type has been simplified to a two chamhered vessel type which will be described in detail in a separate paper.