Franz Christian Boll
Encyclopedia
Boll, Franz, 1849-1879. (February 26, 1849, Neubrandenburg
– December 19, 1879) was a German physiologist and histologist. He was the son of Lutheran theologian Franz Boll
(1805–1875).
Boll studied medicine in Bonn
, Heidelberg
and Berlin
, and in 1870 worked at the physiological institute of Emil du Bois-Reymond
(1818–1896) in Berlin. Later he became a professor at the University of Genoa
, and from 1873 to 1879 was a professor of physiology in Rome
. He died in Rome on December 19, 1879 at the age of 30.
Franz Christian Boll is remembered for the discovery of rhodopsin
, when he noticed that the light-sensitive pigment
in the rods
of the retina
had a tendency to fade in the presence of illumination. He published his findings in an article titled Sull'anatomia e fistologia della retina, and reported his discovery to the Berlin Academy on November 12, 1876.
His name is associated with the eponymous "Boll cells", which are basal cells in the lacrimal gland
, and as a student of Max Schultze
(1825–1874) at Bonn he wrote an important histological treatise on dental pulp called Untersuchungen über die Zahnpulpa.
Neubrandenburg
Neubrandenburg is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, on the shore of a lake called the Tollensesee ....
– December 19, 1879) was a German physiologist and histologist. He was the son of Lutheran theologian Franz Boll
Franz Boll (historian)
Franz Boll was a Lutheran theologian and historian. He was the father of physiologist Franz Christian Boll , and the brother of naturalist Ernst Boll , with whom he collaborated throughout his career.He studied theology in Halle, Berlin and Rostock, and in 1835 returned to Neubrandenburg as a...
(1805–1875).
Boll studied medicine in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and in 1870 worked at the physiological institute of Emil du Bois-Reymond
Emil du Bois-Reymond
Emil du Bois-Reymond was a German physician and physiologist, the discoverer of nerve action potential, and the father of experimental electrophysiology.-Life:...
(1818–1896) in Berlin. Later he became a professor at the University of Genoa
University of Genoa
The University of Genoa is one of the largest universities in Italy.Located in Liguria on the Italian Riviera, the university was founded in 1471. It currently has about 40,000 students, 1,800 teaching and research staff and about 1,580 administrative staff.- Campus :The University of Genoa is...
, and from 1873 to 1879 was a professor of physiology in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He died in Rome on December 19, 1879 at the age of 30.
Franz Christian Boll is remembered for the discovery of rhodopsin
Rhodopsin
Rhodopsin, also known as visual purple, is a biological pigment of the retina that is responsible for both the formation of the photoreceptor cells and the first events in the perception of light. Rhodopsins belong to the G-protein coupled receptor family and are extremely sensitive to light,...
, when he noticed that the light-sensitive pigment
Pigment
A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...
in the rods
Rod cell
Rod cells, or rods, are photoreceptor cells in the retina of the eye that can function in less intense light than can the other type of visual photoreceptor, cone cells. Named for their cylindrical shape, rods are concentrated at the outer edges of the retina and are used in peripheral vision. On...
of the retina
Retina
The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
had a tendency to fade in the presence of illumination. He published his findings in an article titled Sull'anatomia e fistologia della retina, and reported his discovery to the Berlin Academy on November 12, 1876.
His name is associated with the eponymous "Boll cells", which are basal cells in the lacrimal gland
Lacrimal gland
The lacrimal glands are paired almond-shaped glands, one for each eye, that secrete the aqueous layer of the tear film. They are situated in the upper, outer portion of each orbit, in the lacrimal fossa of the orbit formed by the frontal bone. Inflammation of the lacrimal glands is called...
, and as a student of Max Schultze
Max Schultze
Max Johann Sigismund Schultze was a German microscopic anatomist noted for his work on cell theory.-Biography:Schultze was born at Freiburg in Breisgau...
(1825–1874) at Bonn he wrote an important histological treatise on dental pulp called Untersuchungen über die Zahnpulpa.