INCREASE OF CORTICAL CALCIUM WITH AGE IN THE CELLS OF A ROTIFER, EUCHLANIS DILATATA, A PLANARIAN, PHAGOCATA SP., AND A TOAD, BUFO FOWLERI, AS SHOWN BY THE MICROINCINERATION TECHNIQUE

¹ Department of Anatomy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis

A rotifer, Euchlanis dilatata, a planarian, Phagocata sp., and toad, Bufo fowleri, were selected for an analysis of calcium localization and of possible calcium increase with age. Samples of animals of different ages were sectioned, incinerated and examined with a darkfield microscope. Calcium was identified by means of sodium alizarin sulfonate and the gypsum reaction. It was demonstrated that calcium increased with age in the cell membranes of all the cells studied. Calcium also increased with age in the nuclei and cytoplasm of nerve and interstitial cells of Phagocata and the cells of Euchlanis. Because of the large amounts of calcium present in the nuclei it was difficult to determine the degree of calcium increase.

The iron content of the various cells appeared to vary considerably but inconsistently with age.

Control slides stained with Ehrlich's haematoxylin showed a. correlation between the intensity of staining of structures and the calcium content of those structures. The suggestion was made that Ehrlich's haematoxylin may be used as an indicator for bound calcium in cells.

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