The bioluminescence is especially interesting for physiologists in the sense that the end of the intracellular mechanism of the light producing cells is revealed by the light. Whole energy liberated by the process is represented by the light only, unmixed by other energies e. g. movement or heat. This special fact simplifies the experiment enormously, because the light intensity can be measured accurately and conveniently.
Photometries used for these studies were following two, according for the purpose.
a) Photographic method comparing either of the intensity grade or the diameter of the dark spot on the negative plate or film.
b) Comparison method of the brightness of the light with the aid of the adjustable dark glasses (double frame detached from the Hess' differential pupilloscope).
The results obtained on the Japanese firefly (Genzi-hotaru and Heike-hotaru) were summariesed as follows.
1) The light producing organ kept in exsicator could be brought to emitt light again by moisting with water, even after two years.
2) The spectrum of the light of the Japanese firefly extends continuously from the reddish orange (660μμ) to the bluish green (480μμ).
3) The intensity of the light increases by the stimulation of the light producing organ with the faradic current or by the chemicals which affect only muscle but not nerve. This phenomenon does not suggest the excitability of the organ or the presence of the exciting nerve for the organ, but can be explained by the increased supply of air by the contraction of the tracheal muscle.
4) The light extinguishes at temperature 0°--7°C., it reappears again dy warming. At the temperature over 40°C. the light becomes gradually reddish and extinguishes at 48°C-54°C. It does not reappear by cooling. The temperature coefficient for intervals 10°C. of the light intensity is 1.2-1.3. The same for the velocity of decay of light is 1.9-2.1.
5) Oxygen is indispensable to the light production of the light producing substance of firefly, which does not emit light under 1/40 atomospheric pressure of oxygen. The intensity of the light increases propotional to the oxygen pressure in the extent of 1/40 to I atomospheric pressure; over that pressure the light intensity approaches asymptotic to the maximum. Further increase of pressure beyond the maximum, also until 4-5 atomospheric pressure or even to 15 atm. pr. does not show any tendency to decrease the light intensity.
6) The light emission from the minced light producing organ of the firefly is not affected by carbon monoxide. It shows that the oxidizable substance does not combine with CO more forcible than with oxygen as haemoglobin does.
7) The light is given out, when the hot water extract from the light producing organ or the non-luminous part of the firefly or from certain animals like cocoonworm (Kaikono-Mayu) which have no light producing organ, is added to the cold water extract from the light producing organ of the firefly.
8) HCN-gas has no influence upon light production of the light producing organ or the mixture of cold water and hot water extracts from the light producing organ, the oxidation concerned with the light production by the firefly would refer to other than the oxidation connected with iron.
9) The authers measured the CO
2 production from the isolated light producing part and non-luminous part of the firefly with Osterhout's indicater method applied for the CO
2 -gas measurement of nerve fibre by Parker and came to the conclusion that the oxidation reaction does not accompany with CO
2 production, for the light producing part did not give out more CO
2-gas than the non-luminous part.
10) The decay curve of the light emitted from the mixture of the hot water extract from non-luminous part of the firefly or from the larva of the Dendrolimus pini (Matu-Kemusi)
抄録全体を表示