About Ernst Reissner
Lived 1824 – 1878 (aged 53). Ernst Reissner was a Russian anatomist and university teacher.
Ernst Reissner (; 24 September 1824 – 16 September 1878) was a Baltic German anatomist from Riga, Livonia.
In 1851 he received his medical degree at the Imperial University of Dorpat (now known as the University of Tartu), and in 1855 became a professor of anatomy at Dorpat. In 1875, he retired from teaching for health reasons.
Reissner is remembered for his anatomical studies of the ear, particularly research concerning the formation of the inner ear. By studying the embryos of birds and farm animals, he was able to determine individual stages involving the formation of the inner ears' labyrinth. From this research he was therefore able to conceptualize formation of the labyrinth in humans. Today, his name is lent to Reissner's membrane, a membrane inside the cochlea of the inner ear.
Another anatomical structure that is named after him is Reissner's fiber, a long, fibrous aggregation of glycoproteins secreted by the subcommissural organ in the third ventricle and extending through the central canal of the spinal cord.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Ernst Reissner's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Ernst Reissner?
Baltic German anatomist (1824-1878)
When was Ernst Reissner born?
Ernst Reissner was born on 12 September 1824 in Riga.
When did Ernst Reissner die?
Ernst Reissner died on 4 September 1878 in Courland.
What was Ernst Reissner's occupation?
Ernst Reissner was an anatomist and university teacher.
What nationality was Ernst Reissner?
Ernst Reissner was Russian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ernst Reissner. https://biography.guide/ernst-reissner/
MLA: "Ernst Reissner." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ernst-reissner/.
Chicago: "Ernst Reissner." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ernst-reissner/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC