Elie Metchnikoff, whose original name was llya llich Mechnikoff was a Russian scientist born on May 16, 1845. In 1883, he presented “The Curative Forces of the Organism,” Metchnikoff’s theory of phagocytes. Phagocytes (eating/ devouring cells), such as white blood cells or leukocytes, work as our front-line defense against infections in most animals including humans. This work formed the basis of Metchnikoff’s cellular theory of immunity in 1892
. According to Metchnikoff, under appropriate conditions, protector cells within an organism would engulf, mount, attack and ingest foreign bodies, such as bacteria to protect us from invading matters. This phenomenon known as Phagocytosis would become a fundamental part of our immune response system.
. According to Metchnikoff, under appropriate conditions, protector cells within an organism would engulf, mount, attack and ingest foreign bodies, such as bacteria to protect us from invading matters. This phenomenon known as Phagocytosis would become a fundamental part of our immune response system.