The Effect of Ultraviolet Radiation Upon Osmoregulation in Paramecium*

Paramecium multimicronucleatum was irradiated with U.V. in solutions of differing osmotic pressures and ionic content. The rates of contraction and the diameters of the anterior contractile vacuoles were measured and changes in the volumes of solution entering the contractile vacuoles upon U.V. irradiation for paramecia maintained in solutions of differing ionic content were calculated. The volume of fluid entering the contractile vacuoles of paramecia irradiated (1) in standard balanced salt solution (SBSS) was regulated by a compensatory mechanism at lower U.V. doses but increased after relatively large U.V. doses; (2) in distilled water, increased after much smaller U.V. doses; (3) in isotonic balanced salt solution, showed little change upon irradiation. Increased osmotic pressure (with added sucrose) was found to reduce u.v.‐induced blistering of the pellicle, but in general U.V. damage was similar to that of paramecia in solutions of identical ionic content but lacking sucrose. Paramecia in SBSS with added sucrose to make it isomotic to the interior of the cell ruptured only after doses larger than for paramecia in SBSS lacking sucrose. Cell rupture of paramecia in solutions containing high CaCl2 concentrations generally occurred later than for those in SBSS. High KCI concentration (unbalanced salt solution) in the presence of high CaCl2 concentration provided some protection from U.V. irradiation to the paramecia. High NaCl concentration (unbalanced salt solution) in the presence of high CaCl2 concentration appeared to increase u.v. damage to paramecia. Paramecia were most resistant to u.v. irradiation, as judged by the above criteria, when present in balanced salt solution enriched with calcium, thus simulating pond water.