Friedrich+(THE+MAN)+Miescher

Friedrich Miescher Miescher discovered nucleic acids while investigating what he called nuclein, which he found in the nuclei of white blood cells. He noticed that the nuclein was very rich in phosphate groups. He published his discovery in 1871, but its importance was not noted by the scientific world until it got noticed by Albrecht Kossel. To isolate nucleic acids he used leucocytes, which he found in pus that was on bandages in a nearby hospital. The problem was getting these cells isolated without damaging them. He was able to filter the cells using a solution with sodium sulfate. He allowed them to settle to the bottom of a beaker and the tried to isolate the nuclei from the surrounding cytoplasm. After he had just nuclei hefound out that the nuclein was rich in phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulfur. This discovery was like no other and Felix Hoppe-Seyler checked all of his research for accuracy. Miescher and his students began to study the nucleic acid, but they never found out it's function. Their discovery was important in the discovery that nucleic acids carried inheritance.
 * Swiss Biologist
 * Born August 13, 1844
 * Educated at the University of Basil, where he recieved his MD in 1868
 * His goal was to study lyphocytes, but Felix Hoppe-Seyler encouraged him to study leucocytes.
 * He was interested in studying the chemistry of the nucleus.
 * Discovered nucleic acids
 * Died of tuberculosis on August 26, 1895

“Friedrich Miescher”. Photo. //Friedrich Miescher// 20 March 2008. 09 April 9, 2008. 