Electron microscope studies of human and rat fetal livers have revealed the presence of hitherto undescribed granular complexes in the cytoplasm of mitotic erythroblasts during anaphase and telo-

S 783 electron microscope, shows no extracellular coating outside the plasma membrane. However, immunochemical methods have demonstrated that the red cell has a sugar coating-a covering rich in polysacchardies-or, at least, that polysaccharide molecules are found on the outer surface of its plasma membrane. The author proposes to assign a single, general, inclusive termn to this extracellular, sugary coating, wherever it may be found, namely glycocalyx, which in Greek means “sweet husk.” It is readily permeated by water and by ions. It has low electrical resistance and low electrical capacitance. It can act on a filter, retarding the passage of particles, molecules or ions above a certain size. It can bind certain substances preferentially by virtue of the chemical nature of groupings available. It is known that a cell may possess a glycocalyx even though it cannot be distinguished with certainty using the electron microscope.-O. P. 1. A Nxw METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF BLOOD GROUP ANTIGEN AND ITS APPLICATION TO FL HUMAN AMNION CELL. A. A. Hagiwara. From the University of Osaka, Osaka, Japan. Exper. Cell Res. 28:615-617, 1962. During the course of an investigation of the blood group antigens in human cells, the author developed a new method, simple and reliable, which revealed very weak B group antigen in FL cells. The principle of the method is the same as that of mixed hemagglutination except that polystyrene latex particles, previously absorbed with the antigens in question, are used in place of red blood cells. This method has several advantages: ( 1 ) the precise localization of weak antigen in the cell is determined owing to the smallness of the particle size; (2) it may be possible to estimate the antigen by counting the particles absorbed on the cell under the phase microscope; (3) absorption of antigen to latex particle occurs easily and quickly; and (4) the antigen-latex complex is extremely stable if stored at 4 C. -0. P. J. HUMAN-ERYTHEOCYTE REDUCED TBJPHOSPHOPYRIDINE NUCLEOTIDE OXIDASE. E. Shrago and A. B. Fa,lcone. From the Veterans Administration Hospital, Madison, Wis. Biochim. et biophys. acta 67:147-149, 1963. The TPNH oxidase of mature human erythrocytes has been purified further than the 180-fold purification step described by Huennekins. The 406 mp. peak was found to be unrelated to enzyme activity.-E. B. ERYTHRONIC ACID 4-PHOSPHATE: AN INTERMEDIATE OF INOSINE METABOLISM IN HUMAN Rm CELL HEMOLYSATES. Y. lshii, T. Hashimoto, M. Tatibana and H. Yoshikawa. From the University of Tokyo, Tokyo. Biochem. & Biophys. Res. Comnmn. 10:19-22, 1963. The metabolism of inosine by human hemolysates has been studied by chromatography on Dowex 1-formate columns. A new compound was found, and evidence is presented that this compound is erythronic acid 4-phosphate.-E. B. A STUDY OF PRECIPITATING ANTIBODIES AGAINST HUMAN INTRINSIC FACTOR. R. Gullberg and S. Kistner. From Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden. Acta med. scandinav. 172:385-388,