- Edouard-Gérard Balbiani
Edouard-Gérard Balbiani (
July 31 ,1823 -July 25 ,1899 was a French embryologist who was born inPort-au-Prince , Haiti. He was educated inFrankfurt andParis . In Paris he studiednatural sciences under famedzoologist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville (1777-1850). In 1874 he became professor of embryogeny at theCollège de France , where he remained until his death in 1899.Balbiani is known for his work in
microbiology as well as his studies in embryology. He is credited with the discovery of sexual organ development in Chironomus which eventually led to the general theory regarding the autonomy of thegerm cell . Also, along withanatomist Louis-Antoine Ranvier (1835-1922), he founded the "Archives d'anatomie microscopique". There are numerous microscopic organisms that are named after Balbiani, including "Sphaeromyxa balbianii", "Trypanosoma balbianii", "Cristlspira balbianii", "Didinium balbianii", "Monodinium balbianii" and "Spirillum balbianii".In 1884, his daughter Laure Balbiani married
psychologist Alfred Binet .Eponyms named after Balbiani:
* "Balbiani's vesicles":cytoplasm atic structures that form in the yolks of youngovule s.
* "Balbiani ring : a largechromosome puff .Bibliography:
* "Sur la structure denoyau des cellules salivaires chez les larvesde Chironomus". Balbiani, E.G. Zool. Anz. 4: 637-641,662-666Reference:
* [http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/647.html Who Named It?, E.G. Balbiani]
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