Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

PHYSIOLOGY OF FERTILIZATION

Nature volume 157, pages 720–722 (1946)Cite this article

Abstract

EXPERIMENTS have revealed a surprising and discouraging lack of uniformity in the physiological signs of fertilization in different types of eggs. In sea-urchin eggs, oxygen consumption increases after fertilization1 ; in Cumingia and Chœtopterus eggs, oxygen consumption is stated to decrease after fertilization2, though this might be due to acid production masking an increase in oxygen consumption. Acid production during the fertilization reaction, first noted by Ashbel3, has only been reported in sea-urchin eggs, though as Gray first pointed out, the sudden evolution of carbon dioxide which results from the interaction of this acid and the bicarbonate in the sea water may mask the true oxygen consumption if the carbon dioxide absorbent does not act quickly enough. The experimenter may therefore miss the acid production and 'measure' a low oxygen consumption-rate.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Warburg, O., Pflüg. Arch. ges. Physiol., 109, 324 (1915).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Whitaker, D. M., J. Gen. Physiol, 15, 183 (1931).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ashbel, R., Boll. Soc. Biol. Sper., 4 (1929).

  4. Just, E. E., Biol. Bull., 36, 3 (1919).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Peterfi, T., and Rothschild, V., Nature, 135, 874 (1931).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Harper, E. H., Amer. J. Anat., 3, 349 (1904).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Oppel, A., Anat. Anz. (Jena), 6, 536 (1891).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Verwey, E. J. W., Philips Res. Rep., 1, 33 (1945).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gray, J., "Experimental Cytology" (Cambridge, 1931).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Carter, G. S., J. Exp. Biol., 9, 264 (1931).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Clowes, G. H. A., and Bachman, E., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 18, 120 (1931).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lillie, F. R., "Problems of Fertilization" (Chicago, 1919).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Kuhn, R., and Wallenfels, K., Ber. deutsch. chem. Ges., 72, 1407 (1939).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Tyler, A., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci, 25, 523 (1939).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Just, E. E., Protoplasma, 10, 300 (1930).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kuhn, R., Moewus, F., and Wendt, G., Ber. deutsch. chem. Ges., 72, 1702 (1939).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Heilbron, I. M., J. Chem. Soc., 79 (1942).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Laboratory, Cambridge

    LORD ROTHSCHILD

Authors
  1. LORD ROTHSCHILD
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

ROTHSCHILD, L. PHYSIOLOGY OF FERTILIZATION. Nature 157, 720–722 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/157720a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/157720a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing