Johann Friedrich Meckel

Infobox Scientist
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birth_date = October 17, 1781
birth_place = Halle
death_date = October 31, 1833
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nationality = Germany
ethnicity =
field = anatomy pathology
work_institutions = University of Halle
alma_mater = University of Halle
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known_for = teratology
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influences = Georges Cuvier Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
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Johann Friedrich Meckel, often referred to as Johann Friedrich Meckel, the Younger (October 17, 1781 - October 31, 1833) was a German anatomist who was born in Halle. In 1802 he received his medical doctorate in University of Halle, and from 1808 until his death in 1833 was a professor of pathology, anatomy and surgery at the University.

After his graduation, Meckel spent time in Paris assisting zoologist Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) with systematic analysis of anatomical and zootomical specimens. In 1810, he finished translating Cuvier's 5-volume work "Leçons d’anatomie Comparée" from French into German. From 1826 until 1833 he was editor of the "Archiv für Anatomie und Physiologie".

Meckel adopted naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's (1744-1829) evolutionary beliefs. Meckel was a pioneer in the science of teratology, especially concerning the study of birth defects and abnormalities during embryonic development. He believed that abnormal development adhered to the same natural laws as did normal development. With French embryologist Étienne Serres (1786-1868), the "Meckel-Serres Law" is named. This was a theory of parallelism which attempted to link comparative embryology with a unifying pattern in the organic world.

Two eponymous structures of the anatomy are named after him:
* Meckel's diverticulum: Portion of the omphalomesenteric duct of the small intestine, it is present in only 2% of the population.
* Meckel's cartilage A cartilaginous bar from which the mandible is formed.

His grandfather was also named "Johann Friedrich Meckel". In order to avoid confusion, he is often referred to as Johann Friedrich Meckel, the Elder. The elder Meckel was also a professor of anatomy, and he too has anatomical structures named after him.

References

* [http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/1840.html Who Named It?, J.F. Meckel]
*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Klunker
first=Rudyard
authorlink=
coauthors=Göbbel Luminita, Musil Anette, Tönnies Holger, Schultka Rüdiger
year=2002|month=Nov.

title= [Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781-1833) and modern teratology]
journal=Ann. Anat.
volume=184
issue=6
pages=535-40
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pmid = 12489337
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*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Göbbel
first=Luminita
authorlink=
coauthors=Schultka Rüdiger
year=2002|month=Nov.

title= [The scholarly program of Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781-1833) and it importance for the development of life sciences]
journal=Ann. Anat.
volume=184
issue=6
pages=519-22
publisher = | location = | issn =
pmid = 12489335
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*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Schultka
first=Rüdiger
authorlink=
coauthors=Göbbel Luminita
year=2002|month=Nov.

title= [Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781-1833), an extremely important naturalist and scholar]
journal=Ann. Anat.
volume=184
issue=6
pages=503-8
publisher = | location = | issn =
pmid = 12489333
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*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Edmonson
first=J M
authorlink=
year=2001|month=Jul.

title=Johann Friedrich Meckel the younger: Meckel's diverticulum
journal=Gastrointest. Endosc.
volume=54
issue=1
pages=19A-20A
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pmid = 11508254
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*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Daniels
first=I R
authorlink=
year=2000|month=Jun.

title=Historical perspectives on health: Johann Friedrich Meckel the younger and his diverticulum
journal=Journal of the Royal Society of Health
volume=120
issue=2
pages=125-6
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pmid = 10944888
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*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Seidler
first=E
authorlink=
year=1984|month=Aug.

title=Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781-1833)
journal=Am. J. Med. Genet.
volume=18
issue=4
pages=571-86
publisher = | location = | issn =
pmid = 6385706
doi = 10.1002/ajmg.1320180406
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*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Gluecklich
first=B
authorlink=
year=1976|month=Sep.

title=Johann Friedrich Meckel, the Younger (1781-1833)
journal=Am. J. Surg.
volume=132
issue=3
pages=384-6
publisher = | location = | issn =
pmid = 786056
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*cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Clark
first=O E
authorlink=
year=1969|month=Jul.

title=The contributions of J.F. Meckel, the Younger, to the science of teratology
journal=Journal of the history of medicine and allied sciences
volume=24
issue=3
pages=310-22
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pmid = 4894391
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ee also

* Meckel syndrome