Marcello Malpighi, (born March 10, 1628, Crevalcore, near Bologna, Papal States—died Nov. 30, 1694, Rome), Italian physician and biologist. In 1661 he identified the pulmonary capillary network, proving William Harvey’s theory on blood circulation. He discovered the taste buds and was the first to see red blood cells and realize that they gave blood its colour. He studied subdivisions of the liver, brain, spleen, kidneys, bone, and deeper skin layers (Malpighian layers), concluding that even the largest organs are composed of minute glands. Malpighi also studied insect larvae (especially the silkworm), chick embryology, and plant anatomy, seeing an analogy between plant and animal organization. He is regarded as the founder of microscopic anatomy and may be regarded as the first histologist.
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