RESTORATION OF REGENERATIVE ABILITY IN LIGATED STEMS OFTUBULARIAIN AN ELECTRIC FIELD

Abstract

Electrical potential differences were measured in isolated stems of Tubularia during transformation of parts of the stems to hydranths. The transforming regions during the early stages of primordium formation were electronegative at the surface to adjacent non-transforming regions. Potential differences lower than those measured in regenerating stems were obtained from non-regenerating ligated stems. Ligated stems which were failing to regenerate because their potential differences were too low were given potential differences as great as those found in regenerating stems. When they were placed in an artificial field of appropriate strength, the ligated stems which regained the proper potential differences regenerated.