Darwin and Modern ScienceSeward, A. C. (Albert Charles)
Philosophy
Darwin and Modern Science
Seward, A. C. (Albert Charles)
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882; Evolution (Biology); Science -- History
We can also cause the development of the sea-urchin egg without
membrane-formation. The early experiments of the writer were done in
this way and many experimenters still use such methods. It is probable
that in this case the mechanism of fertilisation is essentially the same
as in the case where the membrane-formation is brought about, with
this difference only, that the cytolytic effect is less when no
fertilisation-membrane is formed. This inference is corroborated by
observations on the fertilisation of the sea-urchin egg with ox blood.
It very frequently happens that not all of the eggs form membranes in
this process. Those eggs which form membranes begin to develop, but
perish if they are not treated with hypertonic sea-water. Some of the
other eggs, however, which do not form membranes, develop directly into
normal larvae without any treatment with hypertonic sea-water, provided
they are exposed to the blood for only a few minutes. Presumably some
blood enters the eggs and causes the cytolytic effects in a less degree
than is necessary for membrane-formation, but in a sufficient degree to
cause their development. The slightness of the cytolytic effect allows
the egg to develop without treatment with hypertonic sea-water.
Since the entrance of the spermatozoon causes that degree of cytolysis
which leads to membrane-formation, it is probable that, in addition to
the cytolytic or membrane-forming substance (presumably a higher fatty
acid), it carries another substance into the egg which counteracts the
deleterious cytolytic effects underlying membrane-formation.
The question may be raised whether the larvae produced by artificial
parthenogenesis can reach the mature stage. This question may be
answered in the affirmative, since Delage has succeeded in raising
several parthenogenetic sea-urchin larvae beyond the metamorphosis into
the adult stage and since in all the experiments made by the writer
the parthenogenetic plutei lived as long as the plutei produced from
fertilised eggs.
(c). ON THE PRODUCTION OF TWINS FROM ONE EGG THROUGH A CHANGE IN THE
CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE SEA-WATER.
The reader is probably familiar with the fact that there exist two
different types of human twins. In the one type the twins differ as much
as two children of the same parents born at different periods; they
may or may not have the same sex. In the second type the twins have
invariably the same sex and resemble each other most closely. Twins
of the latter type are produced from the same egg, while twins of the
former type are produced from two different eggs.
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