MALPIGHI,MARCELLO (1628-1694)

The current paper is intended as a short but precise illustration of M arcello Malpighi's cultural life, a small tribute we deserve to a geni us of such sharp insight. He made many discoveries in the fields of th e macro- and microanatomy of the brain, nerves, liver, kidneys, spleen , tegument, lymph nodes, reproductive system and other organs, but rat her than pursuing these in any detail, we have tried to profile Marcel lo Malpighi's scientific life in the cultural context of his time, whi le also providing some information on the most fascinating phases of h is research on renal structure and function.