Abstract
PROF. OTTO WARBURG is well known for his very important work on metabolism and respiration in cells. In this work he made extensive use of the manometric technique, which he greatly developed. This method was applied by him and the members of his school to a great variety of biological problems with conspicuous success. By using very thin slices of animal tissues suspended in serum, precise measurements of respiration and other metabolic processes could be made under approximately physiological conditions. By this means he discovered an important difference between the metabolism of normal tissues and that of rapidly proliferating tissues such as tumours, namely, the fact that the latter show a high aerobic glycolysis. By the study of the inhibitory effect of certain specific poisons, such as cyanides and carbon monoxide, on respiration, he showed the important role played by catalytic compounds of iron. On studying the effect of light of different wavelengths on cells poisoned by carbon monoxide, a photochemical absorption spectrum was obtained which was found to be very similar to that of a haematin compound. In this way he showed the importance of haematin compounds in cell respiration. In the analysis of these effects he displayed remarkable technical genius. In addition to this haematin system (known as the respiratory enzyme), Prof. Warburg has recently discovered another important intra-cellular system involving a different type of catalytic pigment, belonging to the class now known as flavines. Prof. Warburg is also well known for his fine work on photosynthesis.
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Prof. O. Warburg, For. Mem. R.S. Nature 133, 714 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/133714c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/133714c0