IV. ACTION
OF MORPHOSTATIC
SUBSTANCES
171
effects. Immediately after amputation the single solution of colchicine
inhibited regeneration by itself only very weakly. Already after the 5th
day the regenerates treated with colchicine grew as fast as the controls
in water. By itself E 9 causes only an inhibition of 50%. The combination
brings about an inhibition of 80% on the 5th day, and still 50% on the
22nd day. These effects prove a true morphostatic synergism which
represents more than the sum of two weak single effects.
-j\
Growth curves
Days after amputation
FIG. 9. Growth curves of treated and untreated regenerates. Regenerates after
Colchicine or E 9 treatment. Also one combination of E 9 and Colchicine was tested. The
effects of the combination are very long-lasting (v. Hahn, 1959). Ordinate: length in mm.
Abscissa: time in days.
4. Synergistic Effects of Chemical Factors
and Morphogenetic Potential of Metabolism
As we have seen the combined solution of E 9 and colchicine produces
a very high degree of inhibition in spite of the fact that the concentration of E 9 in the combined solution is only 1/4 and that of colchicine half
that necessary to produce clear morphostatic effects. The same seems
to be true for the effect of the combined solution upon the catheptic
activity. This is especially evident in the activity curve of the regenerates
(Fig. 10). The level of activity is here very similar to the E 9 -treated
regenerates (compare Fig. 7) although a lower concentration of E 9 has
acted in the combined solution comoared to the effect of a single