Abstract
Texperiments are described which indicate that there is a physiological problem quite apartfrom the chemical problem of luminescence in the secretion of Malacocephalus Icevis(Lowe). The luminiferous substances are present in granules, which behave as though each were bounded bya membrane whose permeabilities resemble those of a typical cell, but differ from a cell in that they have little or no power of recovery from adverse conditions.For optimal luminescence they require (i) a medium of a certain osmotic pressure,(ii) a certain range of alkalinity, (iii) a certain range of temperature, and (iv)abundant oxygen. Sea-water is not necessary for luminescence.If they are exposed to extremes of acidity or alkalinity, or of hypotonic or hypertonic solutions, irreversible changes rapidly set in in the membrane of the granule, whereby the power of luminescence is lost.In artificial conditions the rapid fading of the light from the initial brilliance is probably due to an increasing acidity caused by the accumulation of the products of oxidation.
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