Chapter 28
The Black Sea Dolphin Nephron Studied by
Romanian Nobel Laureate George Emil Palade
Vasile S^ arbu, Raluca Melihov, and Daniel Ovidiu Costea
Abstract George Emil Palade was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and
Medicine, with Albert Claude and Christian de Duve for cell fractions and the most
important discovery: the ribosome, (corpuscula of Palade responsible for cellular
proteins synthesis), mitochondria and reticulum endoplasmic. In 1975 Palade was
elected Honorary member of the Romanian Academy.
The scientific biography of Palade started in 1940 in Carol Davila Medical
University with research of morphology and physiology of Dolphin Kidney.
As a student G. E. Palade was fascinated by Professor Francisc Iosif Rainer
(Anatomy and Anthropology), Andre Boivin (Biochemistry) and Gr. T. Popa.
The doctoral thesis of G.E. Palade under the coordination of Fr. Rainer was
about anatomical structure and physiology adaptation of dolphin kidney, the adaptation from terrestrial to sea life. The doctoral thesis of G. E. Palade remains
unknown and outclassed by his research, considering “mile-stones” in cell biology.
The dolphin kidney, dissected in 1939 by G. E. Palade, exists in the Anatomy
Laboratory of Medical Faculty (Carol Davila University Bucharest).
We present here his medical history which started with a research of macroscopic and microscopic structures of dolphin kidney, adaptation like member and
affections of nephrons. Palade thesis confirmed his hypothesis and Rainer’s that
dolphins descend from terrestrial mammal, although further adapted to the see life
having short urinary tubs.
Keywords Palade • Dolphin nephron • Marine life • Adaptation
V. S^ arbu (*)
Academy of Romanian Scientists, Bucharest-Constanta, Romania
e-mail: vasilesarbu_cta@yahoo.com
R. Melihov • D.O. Costea
Ovidius University of Constanta, Constanta, Romania
e-mail: ralucamelihov@gmail.com; danielocostea@gmail.com
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_28
485
The Black Sea Dolphin Nephron Studied by
Romanian Nobel Laureate George Emil Palade
Vasile S^ arbu, Raluca Melihov, and Daniel Ovidiu Costea
Abstract George Emil Palade was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and
Medicine, with Albert Claude and Christian de Duve for cell fractions and the most
important discovery: the ribosome, (corpuscula of Palade responsible for cellular
proteins synthesis), mitochondria and reticulum endoplasmic. In 1975 Palade was
elected Honorary member of the Romanian Academy.
The scientific biography of Palade started in 1940 in Carol Davila Medical
University with research of morphology and physiology of Dolphin Kidney.
As a student G. E. Palade was fascinated by Professor Francisc Iosif Rainer
(Anatomy and Anthropology), Andre Boivin (Biochemistry) and Gr. T. Popa.
The doctoral thesis of G.E. Palade under the coordination of Fr. Rainer was
about anatomical structure and physiology adaptation of dolphin kidney, the adaptation from terrestrial to sea life. The doctoral thesis of G. E. Palade remains
unknown and outclassed by his research, considering “mile-stones” in cell biology.
The dolphin kidney, dissected in 1939 by G. E. Palade, exists in the Anatomy
Laboratory of Medical Faculty (Carol Davila University Bucharest).
We present here his medical history which started with a research of macroscopic and microscopic structures of dolphin kidney, adaptation like member and
affections of nephrons. Palade thesis confirmed his hypothesis and Rainer’s that
dolphins descend from terrestrial mammal, although further adapted to the see life
having short urinary tubs.
Keywords Palade • Dolphin nephron • Marine life • Adaptation
V. S^ arbu (*)
Academy of Romanian Scientists, Bucharest-Constanta, Romania
e-mail: vasilesarbu_cta@yahoo.com
R. Melihov • D.O. Costea
Ovidius University of Constanta, Constanta, Romania
e-mail: ralucamelihov@gmail.com; danielocostea@gmail.com
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_28
485