Evening star., 1937-09-11

Discoveries throwing new light on the
complex chemistry OF the human body
were reported before the meetings of the
American Chemical Society this week.
Notable constituents of body cells are
substances known as phospholipids
Chemically they are very closely related
to fats, the fuels of the body engine
Hitherto the part they play in the mech
anism of life has been little understood.
The phospholipids differ from fats in
one important character. They will mix
with water. Since the tissues of the body
are rich in water and are bathed by a
watery medium, it has been surmised
that fats are converted into phospholipids
in order that they may be transported
from the blood into the cells where they
are burned to provide the energy of life.
1t is now certain, reported DR.. R. Cor
don Sinclair of the University of Roches-
ter, that they also serve another purpose
The brain and nervous tissues contain
larger amounts of them than any other
organs. They must be essential in the
construction of brain and nerve cells,
rather than 4 fuel to maintain the life
of the cells.
1t has recently been discovered. DR..
Sinclair reported. that muscles which are
used great deal contain more phospho-
lipids than those which are little used.
For example, the muscles which a pigeon
uses in flying contain much more than
the same muscles in a rooster, which flies
very little. Rats which were allowed to
run as much as they wished had more
phopholipids in their muscles than those
confined in small cages.
The increase in phospholipid in the
muscle" DR.. Sinclair said. cannot be
looked upon as an increased supply of
coal in the bins, but rather as an altera-
ton in the furnace so that it will pro-
duce more heat. 1t seems likely that
the alteration improves the draft by sup
plying more air. and also makes it pos
sible to feed more fuel into the furnace"
In the human brain are found large
amounts of waxlike substances known to
biological chemists as cerebrosides. They
occur in other organs OF the body in
lesser amounts.
Taken altogether they form a substance
known as protagon, which is known TO
contain sulphuric acid. The function of
this protagon has been a mystery to
psychologists. DR.. Edwin Chsrgaff of
Columbia University reported expert
ments to the chemists which indicate
that one of the purposes, at least, is to
act as preventive OF blood CLOTHING,
which always is attended by disastrous
results when 1t takes place in brain
tissue.
BY mixing various cerebrosides with
Sulphuric acid he was able to produce
anti -coagulants OF great potency. He also
found evidence of similar anti-coagu-
lants in the spinal cord and blood cells.
Finding evidence OF certain hitherto
unknown fats and closely related lipids
IN the body by means of device known
as the spectrophotomete was reported
by DR.. G.. 0. Burr of the University of
Minnesota. The instrument works on
the principle that the absorption of cer-
tain wave lengths of life-both visible
and invisible-is highly specific for many
chemical compounds. The unknown
substances have entirely different sbsorp-
ton patterns than those which are known
and have been studied in the laboratory
Evidence OF them is found in both the
blood stream and in milk.
Stuart Sturges and Arthur Knudson Of
Albany Medical College reported an ex-
tremely accurate means of determining
very minute amounts of a substance
known as cholesterol in body tissue. This
is solid alcohol" Little is known OF
It's origin, its function, or what its ulti-
mate disposition within the body NAV be.
II has been shown that the animal
body can synthesize IT, Some OF the