Franz Ernst Christian Neumann - History of Stem-Cell

History of Stem-Cell

Legend of the stem cell-picture: Draft by Ernst Neumann himself, showing the “great-lymphozyt-stem-cell” (1912) or “great-lymphocyt” as stem cell for the postembryonic and embryonic development of erythropoiesis and leukopoiesis in the bone marrow and, as shown here, in the embryonic liver; GrLK: nucleus of great-lymphocyt-stem-cell; Erblk: Erythroblast; (Neumann 1914).

In 1868, Neumann described the "lymphoid marrow cell" (Neumann: Blood and Pigments 1917(BP), S.33) in the bone marrow. "It is evident, that a continuing transformation of lymphoid cells into coloured blood cells takes place in the bone marrow during the whole life" Neumann 1869, BP, p. 19. This "lympoid marrow cell" forms not only the erythropoiesis but it is capable (in itself) to self regeneration: “In order of the size differences of the lymphoid marrow-cells, we will be able to suppose that a permanent fluctuation will take place in the bone marrow" (Neumann 1869, BP p. 30). 1912: Until 1912 Neumann called the stem cell "lymphocyte", "great lymphocyte" or "lymphomyeloblast". Since that time, he declared: "The different forms of all blood cells happening in the blood, the lymph-organs and in the bone marrow are all descendants of the great-lymphocytic stem cell." (BP, page 313). "In which way this stem cell completes itself again and again, whether exclusively by a mitotic division or also from other cells particularly from cells of the mesenteric tissue, may be discussed." (Neumann, BP p. 313) Neumann was advocate of the Unitarien Point of View: All blood cells shall be descended from this post embryonic stem cell. As it is well known, a quarrel broke out between dualists and unitarians (Paul Ehrlich). Neumann's farsightedness demanded a stem cell culture for the completion of the quarrel: "Perhaps a final decision will only arrive, if it possible, to isolate the individual colourless cells and to study its life events in vitro culture for some time, as Robert Koch demonstrated with the bacteria" (Neumann 1912, BP, p. 329, see also References: H. Neumann and Y. Klinger)