Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 222-225. (Budapest, 2013)
TANULMÁNYOK - Müller Miklós: Egy 1952-es Kossuth díj - A dialektikus szovjet sejtbiológia rövid regnálása Magyarországon
MÜLLER, Miklós: A Kossuth Prize in 1952 51 ian Academy of Sciences (Orosz 2010). For a short while one of the main research directions of this Institute were biochemical aspects of Lepeshinskaya’s New Cell Theory. Deliberations of the committee gave obeisance to the New Cell Theory but reveal great confusion as to its implementation and much uncertainity about the role of the committee itself. The concept of „living noncellular matter” was repeatedly debated without reaching any consensus, not surprizing in view of a the number of diverse definitions given by Lepeshinskaya herself. The most extreme view that egg white should be regarded as such (Lepeshinskaya, OP. 1950) was quickly dismissed. To the General Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Törő reported in 1953: „Studies related to phenomena of life without cells were productive in the Budapest Institute of Histology and Embryology [Törő’s Institute] where results were obtained in several problems connected with neokaryogeneis and the role of nucleic acids in cytology.... neokaryogenesis is regarded as a form of neoformation of cells from protists through humans. Pioneering work is done on cell formation on yeast cells and leukocytes in the Biochemical Institute of Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Related studies are already performed in several institutes this year. Following the study trip of Academician Kellner in the Soviet Union, similar studies were initiated in oncology. ” (Törő 1953b 340., see also Kellner 1953) Only a few other Hungarian biologists took their cues from Lepeshinskaya. These contributions did not make any significant waves, however. The pathologist László Haranghy explored whether yolk granules in the ovaries of the freshwater mussel Anodonta develop into genuine cells (Haranghy, Várdai 1954) and regarded tentatively the results as positive, providing support for Lepeshinskaya’s work on chicken embryos. A group of young biochemists explored the regeneration of yeast cells completely homogenized by ultrafiltration (Keleti et al. 1954, 1956). „We started our studies in 1950 prompted by Prof. 1. Szörényi. The task was to elucidate the biochemical processes that occurr in the living substance during the formation of cells” (Keleti et al. 1954 214.). They reported on complete regeneration of yeast cells through intermediate steps of smaller cells. This process was regarded as analogous to the regeneration of filtrable forms of prokaryotes into complete cells, a topic much discussed then by Soviet scientists as an example of cell formation from noncellular living material (e.g. Kalina 1954). An algologist studying green algae (Scenedesmus, Kirchneriella and Chlamydomonas species) noted their hyperfragmentation and claimed that new cells arise from minute fragments (Kiss 1956). This scientist invoked Lepeshinskaya’s theory as explanation for his observations. Demise of New Cell Theory in Hungary The gradual divorce from New Cell Theory by the Hungarian scientific community and by Törő himself is no less poignant than its earlier „willing” acceptance. Russian authors severely criticized the Theory and completely discredited the main „experiments” that served as its foundations (Zhinkin, Mikhailov 1955, 1958; Zhudina, Ptokhov 1955; Kozlov, Makarov 1954) These papers were noticed immediately in Hungary. Since New Cell Theory was a major recommended topic for propagandists of the Society for Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge, criticisms could not be ignored and were presented in detail in the magazine of the Society
