Raissa Nitabuch (; born 1859) was a Russian

pathologist Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

who is known for her histological studies of the human

placenta The placenta (: placentas or placentae) is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas, and waste exchange between ...

. The layer of

fibrin Fibrin (also called Factor Ia) is a fibrous protein, fibrous, non-globular protein involved in the Coagulation, clotting of blood. It is formed by the action of the protease thrombin on fibrinogen, which causes it to polymerization, polymerize. ...

that was thought to separate the uterine

decidua The decidua is the modified mucosal lining of the uterus (that is, modified endometrium) that forms every month, in preparation for pregnancy. It is shed off each month when there is no fertilized egg to support. The decidua is under the influe ...

from the fetoplacental

trophoblast The trophoblast (from Greek language, Greek : to feed; and : germinator) is the outer layer of cells of the blastocyst. Trophoblasts are present four days after Human fertilization, fertilization in humans. They provide nutrients to the embryo an ...

after

birth Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring, also referred to in technical contexts as parturition. In mammals, the process is initiated by hormones which cause the muscular walls of the uterus to contract, expelling the f ...

was named the Nitabuch layer or Nitabuch membrane, thus becoming the only woman whose name is "affiliated with a macroscopic anatomical structure." She was also the first to describe the

spiral arteries Spiral arteries are small arteries which temporarily supply blood to the endometrium of the uterus during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. In histology, identifying the presence of these arteries is one of the most useful techniques in id ...

which connect the uterine and placental blood flow during pregnancy, providing the developing fetus with oxygen and nutrients. Part of a group of Russian women who studied medicine at the

University of Zurich The University of Zurich (UZH, ) is a public university, public research university in Zurich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of the ...

, she then completed her doctoral thesis in 1887 at the Institute of Anatomy in

Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...

under the supervision of pathologist

Theodor Langhans Theodor Langhans (28 September 1839 – 22 October 1915) was a German pathologist who was a native of Usingen, Duchy of Nassau. He studied medicine at the University of Heidelberg, and at the University of Göttingen under Friedrich Gustav Jako ...

. Her identification of the spiral arteries challenged the predominant scientific consensus of the day, which held that there was no interconnection between the uterine circulation and the intervillous space.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nitabuch, Raissa Women pathologists Physicians from the Russian Empire 19th-century women physicians 1859 births Year of death missing