Mitosis Omnis nucleus e nucleo Aerosols and dyes Commentary

Walther Flemming, Edouard Van Beneden, Otto Bütschli, Eduard Strasburger cell biology

Mitosis

Wilhelm von Waldeyer-Hartz called them chromosomes, Greek for “colored bodies,” because they were visible as small threads when Walther Flemming stained them blue using an aniline dye. Flemming named stuff in the cell that could be stained blue chromatin. So Flemming gets the credit for discovering chromosomes, and he was able to watch them in the process of cell division, which he called mitosis, Greek for “warp thread.” * Others had observed mitosis earlier than Flemming, but they didn’t have the means of making the parts visible using dyes. * Edouard Van Beneden observed chromosomes during the production of gametes by 1868. Wacław Myzel described mitosis in cornea cells of frog, rabbit, and cat in 1875. Otto Bütschli observed mitosis and called chromosomes rodlets by 1876. Eduard Strasburger observed cell formation and cell division in gymnosperms by 1876.

Omnis nucleus e nucleo

Eduard Strasburger famously wrote, “New cell nuclei can arise only from the division of other nuclei.” Flemming coined the phrase omnis nucleus e nucleo, “all nuclei come from nuclei,” after Rudolf Virchow’s phrase omniis cellula e cellula.

Aerosols and dyes

Send $15.97 today to the Institute of Applied Mythology for an aerosol can of Spirit Fog. Spray it in the presence of a spook and, behold, its outline appears! Please also enquire about Imp Dye. A teaspoon of Imp Dye, properly diluted, easily detects nymphs in backyard pools and fountains. Also those pesky invisible water cats. Now $17.95 while supplies last. Today’s hint for the homeowner: Spirit Fog helps you detect leaking electric power from kitchen appliances. Our motto is “Making Visible the Unseen World.” By the way, if you don’t see anything, then you don’t have a problem.