Abstract
IN experimental cell physiology, the main difficulty often is how to obtain a reliable measure of the amount of protoplasm showing the biological (enzymatic, respiratory) activity studied. Dry weight1 or nitrogen-content2 of the whole object may be measured, but the measurement involves the death of the object. We use the 'reduced weight' of an object, namely, the buoyancy (usually negative) when suspended in water. The reduced weight of small objects was measured by Linderstr?m-Lang3, but the cells were injured by the procedure. The present method permits the measurement of the reduced weight of small living objects, which are not damaged by the procedure and may thus be studied again and again.
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References
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Brüel, Drude, Holter, H., Linderstrøm-Lang, K., and Rozits, K., Compt. rend. Lab. Carlsberg, Sér. Chim., 25, 289 (1946).
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Holter, H., Compt. rend. Lab. Carlsberg, Sér. chim., 24, 399 (1943).
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ZEUTHEN, E. A Sensitive 'Cartesian Diver' Balance. Nature 159, 440–441 (1947). https://doi.org/10.1038/159440a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/159440a0
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