Tenia coli

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A Moment in History

Georg Eduard Von Rindfleisch
(1836 – 1908)

German pathologist and histologist of Bavarian nobility ancestry. Rindfleisch studied medicine in Würzburg, Berlin, and Heidelberg, earning his MD in 1859 with the thesis “De Vasorum Genesi” (on the generation of vessels) under the tutelage of Rudolf Virchow (1821 - 1902). He then continued as a assistant to Virchow in a newly founded institute in Berlin. He then moved to Breslau in 1861 as an assistant to Rudolf Heidenhain (1834–1897), becoming a professor of pathological anatomy. In 1865 he became full professor in Bonn and in 1874 in Würzburg, where a new pathological institute was built according to his design (completed in 1878), where he worked until his retirement in 1906.

He was the first to describe the inflammatory background of multiple sclerosis in 1863, when he noted that demyelinated lesions have in their center small vessels that are surrounded by a leukocyte inflammatory infiltrate.

After extensive investigations, he suspected an infectious origin of tuberculosis - even before Robert Koch's detection of the tuberculosis bacillus in 1892. Rindfleisch 's special achievement is the description of the morphologically conspicuous macrophages in typhoid inflammation. His distinction between myocardial infarction and myocarditis in 1890 is also of lasting importance.

Associated eponyms

"Rindfleisch's folds": Usually a single semilunar fold of the serous surface of the pericardium around the origin of the aorta. Also known as the plica semilunaris aortæ.

"Rindfleisch's cells": Historical (and obsolete) name for eosinophilic leukocytes.

Personal note: G. Rindfleisch’s book “Traité D' Histologie Pathologique” 2nd edition (1873) is now part of my library. This book was translated from German to French by Dr. Frédéric Gross (1844-1927) , Associate Professor of the Medicine Faculty in Nancy, France. The book is dedicated to Dr. Theodore Billroth (1829-1894), an important surgeon whose pioneering work on subtotal gastrectomies paved the way for today’s robotic bariatric surgery. Dr. Miranda.

Sources:
1. "Stedmans Medical Eponyms" Forbis, P.; Bartolucci, SL; 1998 Williams and Wilkins
2. "Rindfleisch, Georg Eduard von (bayerischer Adel?)" Deutsche Biographie
3. "The pathology of multiple sclerosis and its evolution" Lassmann H. (1999) Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 354 (1390): 1635–40.
4. “Traité D' Histologie Pathologique” G.E.
Rindfleisch 2nd Ed (1873) Ballieres et Fils. Paris, Translated by F Gross

"Clinical Anatomy Associates, Inc., and the contributors of "Medical Terminology Daily" wish to thank all individuals who donate their bodies and tissues for the advancement of education and research”.

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Details: Written by: Efrain A. Miranda, Ph.D.; Published: December 09, 2013; Hits: 25483

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The term [tenia coli] is Latin and refers to three longitudinal whitish bands of tissue seen on the surface of the colon. An alternate spelling for this term is [taenia coli].

The word [tenia] is Latin are means "ribbon" or "tape". It is a term used to describe tapeworms. [Coli] is also Latin and means "pertaining to the colon". See accompanying image. Click the image for a larger depiction.

The tenia coli are formed by the gathering or grouping of the longitudinal (external) muscle layer found in the components of the digestive system. While in most of the organs the longitudinal layer is spread out around the organ, in the colon the grouping of the fibers form these three longitudinal bands. The contant tonic contraction of these bands of muscle cause the colonic wall to bunch forming sacculations known as "haustra".

The tenia coli of the cecum converge at the base of the vermiform appendix. This is one anatomical constant used by surgeons to localize and identify the vermiform appendix.

There are three tenia coli best seen in the transverse colon. Because of their relationship with the omentum and the transverse mesocolon, two of them are known as the [tenia omentalis] and the [tenia mesocolica] respectively. The third one is free, and is the easiest one to observe; it is called the "free tenia" or [tenia libera].

The tenia are well formed until the distal portion of the sigmoid colon. When it forms part of the rectosigmoid region all three tenia start to dissipate and spread out until they form the longitudinal layer of the rectum.

Since the small intestine is not necessarily always small in relation to the colon (because of food content, intestinal gases, or pathology), the location of the organ and the presence of haustra, as well as the presence of tenia coli and appendices epiploica, is used to recognize the organ as colon.

Sources:
1. "Dorlands's Illustrated Medical Dictionary" 26th Ed. W.B. Saunders 1994
2. "The origin of Medical Terms" Skinner, AH, 1970
3. "Tratado de Anatomia Humana" Testut et Latarjet 8 Ed. 1931 Salvat Editores, Spain
Image modified from the original from Testut and Latajet, 1931

Tenia coli

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