Eugène Gley
Encyclopedia
Marcel Eugène Émile Gley (1857 – 1930) was a French physiologist and endocrinologist born in Épinal
, Vosges
.
He studied physiology in Beaune
and Nancy, and afterwards worked as assistant to Étienne-Jules Marey
(1830-1904) in Paris
. Later he received the title of professeur agrégé, and in 1908 became a professor at the Collège de France
. He was a member of the Académie de Médecine and secretary general of the Société de Biologie. He was a colleague to Charles Richet (1850-1935), and with Richet published the Journal de physiologie et de pathologie générale.
In 1891 Gley was the first to discover the importance of the parathyroid glands, which are four (or more) small endocrine glands lying close or embedded in the posterior surface of the thyroid gland. These gland
s had been recently discovered as an anatomical entity in 1880, however their importance was not understood at the time. Gley realized that the cause of tetany
after thyroid operations was the inadvertent destruction of the parathyroid glands. He demonstrated this by removing the parathyroid glands from laboratory animals and witnessing their deaths from tetany. Because of his discovery, parathyroid glands have sometimes been referred to as "Gley's glands".
In his studies of the thyroid, he discovered that there was much more iodine
in thyroid tissue than in the parathyroid, and noticed that when the thyroid is removed, a disturbance of iodine metabolism
occurs.
Épinal
Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...
, Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
.
He studied physiology in Beaune
Beaune
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Paris and Geneva.Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France...
and Nancy, and afterwards worked as assistant to Étienne-Jules Marey
Étienne-Jules Marey
Étienne-Jules Marey was a French scientist and chronophotographer.His work was significant in the development of cardiology, physical instrumentation, aviation, cinematography and the science of labor photography...
(1830-1904) in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Later he received the title of professeur agrégé, and in 1908 became a professor at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
. He was a member of the Académie de Médecine and secretary general of the Société de Biologie. He was a colleague to Charles Richet (1850-1935), and with Richet published the Journal de physiologie et de pathologie générale.
In 1891 Gley was the first to discover the importance of the parathyroid glands, which are four (or more) small endocrine glands lying close or embedded in the posterior surface of the thyroid gland. These gland
Gland
A gland is an organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release of substances such as hormones or breast milk, often into the bloodstream or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface .- Types :...
s had been recently discovered as an anatomical entity in 1880, however their importance was not understood at the time. Gley realized that the cause of tetany
Tetany
Tetany has two meanings, though both are related to the muscular system.* Tetany * Tetany The terms "tetany" and "tetanus" are distinct....
after thyroid operations was the inadvertent destruction of the parathyroid glands. He demonstrated this by removing the parathyroid glands from laboratory animals and witnessing their deaths from tetany. Because of his discovery, parathyroid glands have sometimes been referred to as "Gley's glands".
In his studies of the thyroid, he discovered that there was much more iodine
Iodine
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
in thyroid tissue than in the parathyroid, and noticed that when the thyroid is removed, a disturbance of iodine metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
occurs.