Explore how early dialysis experiments revealed what molecules pass through membranes and how enzymes behave when separated from their surroundings.
This book surveys laboratory studies on diffusion, dialysis, and enzyme activity, showing how substances like urea, glycerol, amino acids, and proteins move across membranes under different conditions.
Through a series of experiments, it discusses the limits of dialysis with collodion membranes, the fate of enzymes such as pepsin, trypsin, and catalase, and how activity can change after dialysis. It also presents debates on how urine is formed, comparing mechanical and secretory theories with data from diffusion and diffusion-like processes.
- Examples of diffusion rates for glycerol, urea, glycocoll, alanine, amino acids, and peptone.
- Observations on enzyme stability and activity after dialysis, including catalase and ptyalin (salivary amylase).
- Discussion of experimental setups, membranes, and preservation methods used in these studies.
- A framing of how these findings relate to broader theories of urinary secretion.
Ideal for readers interested in physiology, biochemistry, and the history of laboratory techniques in enzyme research.