Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 222-225. (Budapest, 2013)
TANULMÁNYOK - Müller Miklós: Egy 1952-es Kossuth díj - A dialektikus szovjet sejtbiológia rövid regnálása Magyarországon
48 Comm, de Hist. Anis Med. 222—225 (2013) quire the participation of the old cell nucleus. The presence of nucleic acids is decisive, because their synthesis can lead to the formation of new cells.” (Törő 1952a 56.). In a later, more succinct formulation: „New cells originate not by some form of binary division of the old cell. During metabolism a new nucleus is formed in the cell and it is, together with part of the protoplasm, expelled from the old cell." (Törő 1965 70-71.). He described the process in detail: „Migration of the nucleic acids and the mutual transformation of the two kinds of nucleic acids can explain the described process of,, cell birth Stages of this are the following: 1 Nucleolar stage-when the size, shape and form of the nucleolus changes or a vacuole appears in it; 2. Stage of liquid vacuole when a highly re- fractile vacuole appears next to the nucleus that does not show visible changes; 3. Stage of basophilic vacuole when basophily appears in this vacuole; 4. Stage of granular nucleus when basophilic granules appear in the vacule and adhere to the vacuolar membrane. The new nucleus arises by their fusion; 5. Cell birth, when the plasma around the [new - my comment] nucleus becomes increasingly refractile and acidophilic. The new nucleus with the [surrounding - my comment] plasma area moves to the periphery of the cell and leaves the mother cell through the cell membrane. ” (Törő 1952a 56.) [this sequence of stages is strikingly reminescent of Lepeshinskaya’s description of stages of cell formation from non- cellular living material (Lepeshinskaya 1950c, 1951) - my comment] . Törő regarded this process observed in thymus glands as a newly detected phenomenon. In his paper Törő uses verbatim quotations from the Hungarian translation of Lepeshinskaya’s monograph (Lepeshinskaya 1951) to stress the point that neokaryogenesis, intracellular formation of cells without the participation of the existing nucleus, is in full agreement with her ideas. It needs to be stressed here that Lepeshinskaya and her group never explored intracellular development of new cells but simply extended their concept to such processes and to regular mitotic division. Subsequent fate of neokaryogenesis Although Törő subsequently referred to further studies on neokaryogenesis and claimed its occurrence in the whole living world from protozoa to mammals (Törő 1953b), he never published additional experimental papers on this topic. Butressed by Törő’s status in Hungarian science, this single paper was sufficient to secure broad acclaim for him. It was included in biology texts for high schools (Kontra, Stóhl 1953) and universities (Törő 1956b). Neokaryogenesis was also presented in popular biology books (Kontra, Stóhl 1954). The original Hungarian paper was translated also into Gennan (Törő 1952c) and received extensive descriptions in Czech (Törő, 1952d) and Polish (Törő 1953a). A survey of Michurin biology in Hungary, published on the occasion of the centenary of Michurin’s birth, includes neokaryogenesis among its main achievements (Somos 1955). In most cases USSR scientists payed little attention to work in the satellite countries, but Törő’s work is an exception. His paper was published in full in Russian (Törő, 1954b) and was positively discussed by Russian cytologist Eliseev (1955) in a major review. Lysenko’s peripatetic emissary Glushchenko visited Törő in 1954 and in his travelog he describes his impressions of the visit, emphasizing neokaryogenesis as significant Hungar
