DIFFERING RATES OF DEATH AT INNER AND OUTER SURFACES OF THE PROTOPLASM : III. EFFECTS OF MERCURIC CHLORIDE ON NITELLA

The inner and outer protoplasmic surfaces in Nitella may differ greatly in behavior. When 0.01 M HgCl(2) is applied externally death arrives first at the inner surface. But when 0.01 M HgCl(2) + 0.01 M KCl is applied death takes place sooner at the outer surface. Since 0.01 M KCl by itself is not toxic its effect may be to condition the surface layer chemically or by means of the diffusion potential it sets up (this may amount to 100 mv.). These surfaces consist of non-aqueous films forming the boundaries of a layer of aqueous protoplasm not over 10 microns in thickness. These and earlier experiments with formaldehyde and with chloroform show clearly that it is possible to control the behavior of the protoplasmic surfaces so that when a toxic agent is applied it may produce death more rapidly at the inner or at the outer surface according to experimental conditions.