Ilya Mechnikov - creator of the cellular theory of immunity
During the second half of the XIX century, doctors andbiologists of that time actively investigated the role of pathogenic microorganisms in the development of infectious diseases, as well as the ability to form artificial immunity to them. These studies led to a study of the facts about the natural protection of the body from infections. Pasteur offered the scientific community the idea of a so-called "exhausted force". According to this theory, viral immunity is a condition in which the human body is not a beneficial nutrient medium for infectious agents. However, this idea could not explain a whole series of practical observations.
Mechnikov: cellular theory of immunity
This theory appeared in 1883. The creator of the cellular theory of immunity relied on the teaching of Charles Darwin and based on the study of digestion processes in animals that are located at different stages of evolutionary development. The author of the newly discovered theory discovered a certain similarity in intracellular digestion of substances in cells of endoderm, amoebas, tissue macrophages and monocytes. Actually, the cellular theory of immunity was created by the famous Russian biologist Ilya Mechnikov. His work in this area lasted long enough. The beginning of it was laid in the Italian city of Messina, in which the microbiologist observed the behavior of marine fleas and starfish larvae.
The pathologist discovered that wandering cellsThe observed creatures of foreign bodies surround, and then absorb them. In addition, they dissolve and then destroy those tissues that the body does not need anymore. He made a lot of efforts to develop his concept. The creator of the cellular theory of immunity introduced, in fact, the concept of "phagocytes" derived from the Greek words "phageus" - to eat and "kitos" - a cell. That is, the new term literally meant the process of eating cells. The scientist came to the idea of such phagocytes somewhat earlier when he studied intracellular digestion in various cells of connective tissue in invertebrates: sponges, amoebas and others.
In representatives of the higher animal world, the mosttypical white blood cells, that is, leukocytes, may be called phagocytes. Later, the creator of the cellular theory of immunity proposed that such cells be divided into macrophages and microphages. The correctness of such a division confirmed the achievements of the scientist P. Ehrlich, who differentiated different types of leukocytes by coloring. In his classic works on the pathology of inflammation, the creator of the cellular theory of immunity was able to prove the role of phagocytic cells in the process of eliminating pathogens. Already in 1901, his fundamental work on immunity to infectious diseases came to the world. In addition to Ilya Mechnikov, a significant contribution to the development and dissemination of the theory of phagocytic immunity was made by I.G. Savchenko, F.Ya. Chistovich, L.A. Tarasevich, A.M. Birch, V.I. Isaev and a number of other researchers.
