Cellular Communication: Introductory Remarks

摘要: Theodor Wilhelm Engelmann (1843–1910), when working as an assistent to Francisco Cornelius Donders in Utrecht, published several remarkable articles “Pfluegers Archiv fuer die gesamte Physiologie des Menschen und der Thiere”, got married Donders’ daughter and, 1897, succeeded du Bois-Reymond the chair of Physiology Berlin (Rothschuh, 1953). One these papers entitled “Ueber Leitung Erregung im Herzmuskel” (1875) describes morphological and functional similarities between heart ureter (Engelmann, 1869). Thus stimulation any site would be followed by contraction all other sites, wherever situated however thin connecting bridge. In a paper dated 1877 gives detailed report on electrical changes following injury under one two recording electrodes concludes “Es gilt Kammermuskulatur dasselbe Gesetz wie andere animale Zellketten (...): einzelnen Zellen vermoegen sich zwar waehrend Lebens den Erregungsvorgang durch Contakt mitzutheilen, sterben aber jede ab”. publication 1876 Engelman attempted extend general validity his idea single nerve fibres. His observations, judge from illustrations, are beyond question: A damaged fibre, days after injury, shows process decay (Entartungsprocess) which comes halt exactly at nearest node Ranvier, this being so for central well peripheral stump.