[Ontogenesis and population: evaluation of developmental stability in natural populations]. / Ontogenez i populiatsiia:otsenka stabil'nosti razvitiia v prirodnykh populiatsiiakh.

Ontogenetic and population studies traditionally develop independently. At the same time, the relevance of specific analysis of a specimen as ontogenesis for both correct assessment of populations and their dynamics in time and space and understanding the mechanisms underlying population processes is becoming more and more clear. Developmental stability serves as the most general description of the developing organism status. The level of developmental noise commonly evaluated by fluctuating asymmetry is the main index of developmental stability. High developmental stability is maintained on the basis of genetic coadaptation under optimal developmental conditions. Coordinated changes in developmental stability and other homeostatic indices, including genetic, physiological, biochemical, and immune indices suggest that we consider the general status of the organism by evaluating its developmental stability. Evaluation of developmental stability as a measure of environmental stress, apparently, is the most promising. In practical terms, this allows us to evaluate and monitor environmental health under both natural and various anthropogenic conditions. Outlooks of this approach as relates to studies of developmental stability are discussed.

[Oncornavirus D--an inducer of a new antigen]. / Onkornavirus D--induktor novogo antigena

Oncornavirus D inoculated into chick fibroblast cultures induced in them synthesis of a new antigen which is not incorporated into the virion structure and is absent in cells not infected with this virus. The oncornavirus D newly induced antigen is identical to that found in long-term continuous human HeLa, HEp-2 and J-96 cells. These facts give grounds to believe that the new antigen present in these cells emerged as a consequence of their infection with oncornavirus D. However it remains unknown whether this antigen plays the role of the transforming agent and whether transformation of normal human cells into malignant cells is associated with it.