The conversion of yolk into cytoplasm in the chick blastoderm as shown by electron microscopy.

I N almost all embryos yolk becomes converted into cytoplasm. It has not previously been possible to describe in any detail the morphological changes involved in this process; indeed, when the yolk drops contained within embryonic cells are examined by light microscopy they seem to remain in much the same condition until they are suddenly used up. For this reason they have frequently been considered to be nothing but 'inert, inactive' stores of food. By using an electron microscope, however, it has been possible to trace some of the morphological changes which take place in the chick when intra-cellular yolk drops are converted into cytoplasm, and to show that these are not confined to a single stage of embryonic development. Moreover, the discovery of mitochondria within the yolk drops suggests that the yolk drops are not 'inert'.