Colloids as Regulators of the Division Energy of Cells

Abstract

While the mechanism of cell division is through morphological study, now well established, little is known of the forces which either initiate or control the process. Neoplasia is but the clinical manifestation of uncontrolled cell division, hence any investigations which indicate the forces initiating or controlling cell division have a distinct bearing on the question of cancer. The results of the experiments recorded in this paper indicate that the purely physical in contrast to the chemical conditions of the fluids which surround a cell, have a profound influence upon the rate of cell division. We believe that the importance, as well as the existence of, this factor has previously been unrecognized. It was elsewhere (1) suggested that the truth or fallacy of an hypothesis, which had been advanced seeking to explain the genesis of cancer, might be proved by work with unicellular organisms. Subsequently Packard, (2) adopting this suggestion, showed that the division rate of paramoecia could be influenced in the directions suggested by the hypothesis, by altering the calcium sodium ratio of the hay infusion along the lines indicated. At a later date further investigations were placed on record (3) showing that malignant tissue, when placed in a balanced salt solution having a calcium sodium ratio analagous to that which inhibited the division rate of paramoccia quite uniformly lost weight. Under the same conditions, using the same solution, benign tissue gained weight. It was found that if a colloid were added to the salt solution, benign tissue gained less weight than in the absence of the colloid, while malignant tissue lost more weight.1