UNIT 1 Living organisms Natural Science 2. Secondary Education THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF RAMÓN Y CAJAL

UNIT 1 The contributions of Ramón y Cajal Natural Science 2. Secondary Education Santiago Ramón y Cajal He was born in Petilla de Aragón in Navarre in He studied medicine at the University of Zaragoza, and was especially interested in anatomy and histology. He served as an army doctor, but later became interested in the study of human tissue.

Part of Santiago Ramón y Cajals research involved histological studies of nervous tissue, which, at that time was believed to be made up of a network of fibres. To prove that nerve cells existed, Ramón y Cajal applied Italian scientist Camillo Golgis method of staining with silver nitrates to tissue samples taken from embryos. UNIT 1 The contributions of Ramón y Cajal Natural Science 2. Secondary Education

By perfecting staining with silver nitrates, Ramón y Cajal was able to identify entire neurons on his slides. He observed that these cells were connected to each other despite the fact that they did not touch each other. In May 1888, he published his many discoveries, which he backed up with high-quality slide preparations and impressive drawings. In 1906, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine together with Camillo Golgi. UNIT 1 The contributions of Ramón y Cajal Natural Science 2. Secondary Education