A History of Science — Volume 4Williams, Henry Smith
History
A History of Science — Volume 4
Williams, Henry Smith
Science -- History
Meantime, however, the students of animal histology were more and more
impressed with the seeming preponderance of cell contents over cell
walls in the tissues they studied. They, too, found the cell to be
filled with a viscid, slimy fluid capable of motion. To this Dujardin
gave the name of sarcode. Presently it came to be known, through the
labors of Kolliker, Nageli, Bischoff, and various others, that there are
numerous lower forms of animal life which seem to be composed of this
sarcode, without any cell wall whatever. The same thing seemed to be
true of certain cells of higher organisms, as the blood corpuscles.
Particularly in the case of cells that change their shape markedly,
moving about in consequence of the streaming of their sarcode, did it
seem certain that no cell wall is present, or that, if present, its role
must be insignificant.
And so histologists came to question whether, after all, the cell
contents rather than the enclosing wall must not be the really essential
structure, and the weight of increasing observations finally left no
escape from the conclusion that such is really the case. But attention
being thus focalized on the cell contents, it was at once apparent
that there is a far closer similarity between the ultimate particles of
vegetables and those of animals than had been supposed. Cellulose and
animal membrane being now regarded as more by-products, the way was
clear for the recognition of the fact that vegetable protoplasm and
animal sarcode are marvellously similar in appearance and general
properties. The closer the observation the more striking seemed this
similarity; and finally, about 1860, it was demonstrated by Heinrich de
Bary and by Max Schultze that the two are to all intents and purposes
identical. Even earlier Remak had reached a similar conclusion, and
applied Von Mohl's word protoplasm to animal cell contents, and now this
application soon became universal. Thenceforth this protoplasm was
to assume the utmost importance in the physiological world, being
recognized as the universal "physical basis of life," vegetable and
animal alike. This amounted to the logical extension and culmination
of Schwann's doctrine as to the similarity of development of the two
animate kingdoms. Yet at the same time it was in effect the banishment
of the cell that Schwann had defined. The word cell was retained, it
is true, but it no longer signified a minute cavity. It now implied,
as Schultze defined it, "a small mass of protoplasm endowed with the
attributes of life." This definition was destined presently to meet with
yet another modification, as we shall see; but the conception of the
protoplasmic mass as the essential ultimate structure, which might or
might not surround itself with a protective covering, was a permanent
addition to physiological knowledge. The earlier idea had, in effect,
declared the shell the most important part of the egg; this developed
view assigned to the yolk its true position.
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