title: "Compensatory" organic osmolytes in high osmolarity and dehydration stresses: history and perspectives.
abstract: As stated in the conclusion, "life is a thing of macromolecular cohesion in salty water." This brief historical overview shows that "compensatory" organic osmolytes take an essential place in this cohesion. It reviews the major steps of the study of these compounds over more than 100 years, from the early beginnings of 1885 until now, showing some of its fascinating developments and ending on the idea that the most fascinating is still to come. This study can be taken as an example of the richness of the comparative approach.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gilles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001105:Archaea / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D003681:Dehydration / Q000378:metabolism; D005615:Freezing; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D012106:Research / Q000266:history; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances