title: Marie-François Xavier Bichat (1771-1802) and his contributions to the foundations of pathological anatomy and modern medicine.
abstract: Marie-François Xavier Bichat (1771-1802) was a prominent French anatomist during a time of revolution and one of the founders of French scientific medicine. He conducted several experimental studies, which laid the foundation for modern physiology. Based on autopsy findings, Bichat introduced 21 tissues as the basic elements of organs. His name is carried on by several eponyms in anatomy and histology; Bichat's fossa (pterygopalatine fossa), Bichat's protuberance (buccal fat pad), Bichat's foramen (cistern of the vena magna of Galen), Bichat's ligament (lower fasciculus of the posterior sacroiliac ligament), Bichat's fissure (transverse fissure of the brain) and Bichat's tunic (tunica intima vasorum). This paper deals with the life and works of this early pioneer in anatomy and physiology.
authors.affiliation: Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, Tabriz University (Medical Sciences), Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadali M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shoja
authors.forename: R Shane
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tubbs
authors.forename: Marios
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loukas
authors.forename: Ghaffar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shokouhi
authors.forename: Mohammad R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ardalan
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000266:history*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005602:France; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D010336:Pathology / Q000266:history*; D011173:Portraits as Topic