Relations Between Molecular and Morphological Shape of Protein Solutions

Abstract

THE experiments on which we wish to make the following preliminary report originated from our belief that further knowledge of the shapes of molecules may throw light on the nature of morphological and histological shapes, and the changes which they undergo. We were especially interested in the formation of the neural tube in the amphibian embryo, where this, the first, morphological change in development consists of a great lengthening of the cuboidal ectodermal cells and nuclei to form the cells of the neural plate. The question arises whether this elongation may not depend upon, or be accompanied by, an increase in the number, size, or axial ratio of anisometric protein particles present. With this in mind, we compared the behaviour of protein fractions isolated from amphibian neurulæ with that of other proteins.