Marcello Malpighi: the father of microscopic anatomy

Abstract

Biographical data of Malpighi to justify naming him "the father of microscopic anatomy", as he used the microscope, soon after its invention, to study and discover and accurately describe many biological, particularly anatomical, structures. Although he utilized the microscope as a scientific instrument, his ideas, innovations and discoveries caused such an opposition that the microscope could be considered as Malpighi's weapon to start a scientific revolution. He was a naturalist for whom the "natural world, known and experienced scientifically, was all that existed". He was also a "cardiocentrist", who opposed Galen's "hepatocentrism". Several anatomical structures known eponymically to honor Malpighi are listed followed by their synonyms. Malpighi is another example of a genius as an extraordinary man who stood on the shoulders of giants, such as Galilei, Hans and Zacharias Janssen, Borelli, Harvey, B. Massari, among others.