Ilya Mechnikov - creator of the cellular theory of immunity

During the second half of the XIX century, doctors and biologists of the 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 the study of facts about the natural protection of the body from infections. Pasteur suggested to 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 new 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. They started in the Italian city of Messina, where a microbiologist observed the behavior of marine fleas and starfish larvae .

The pathologist discovered that the wandering cells of the observed creatures are foreign bodies that surround and then absorb them. In addition, they dissolve and then destroy those tissues that the body does not need anymore. He put a lot of effort into developing his concept. The creator of the cellular theory of immunity introduced, in fact, the concept of "phagocytes" derived from the Greek words "phages" - 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 most typical phagocytes can be called white blood cells, that is, leukocytes. Later, the creator of the cellular theory of immunity proposed that such cells be divided into macrophages and microphages. The correctness of this 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 IG. Savchenko, F.Ya. Chistovich, L.A. Tarasevich, A.M. Birch, V.I. Isaev and a number of other researchers.