Platelets were discovered by the Italian pathologist Giulio Bizzozero in 1882. He observed them microscopically in the circulating blood of living animals and in the blood removed from the blood vessels. While others had previously observed platelet-like structures, Bizzozero's research provided the first accurate and convincing description of these tiny blood cells and their role in blood clotting.
While Max Schultze published the first accurate and convincing description of platelets as part of a study devoted mainly to white blood cells in 1865, it was Bizzozero's work that established platelets as a distinct blood cell type. His detailed observations of platelets in action, especially their involvement in blood clotting, solidified their place in scientific understanding.
Bizzozero's discovery was a significant milestone in the study of hematology. It paved the way for further research into the role of platelets in blood clotting and other physiological processes.
