Waclaw Mayzel descibed as the first the process of the mitotic division in animal cells (the frog, rabbit and cat cornea). He published his observations in the journals: Medycyna, czasopismo tygo- dniowe dla lekarzy (1875; 3(45), 409–412 dated 25. 10. 1875) and in Centralblatt f. die Med. Wissenschaf- ten (1875; 50: 849–852). Scan of his original paper archived in the Jagiellonian Library follows the present article.

Endothelium is not only a layer of cells separating lumen of vessel from surrounding tissues. It begins to notice its role in many biological processes. This paper presents the role of endothelium and vessels in development, tissues and organs formation and maturation.

The paper describes function of endothelium and its role in vessels formation during embryonic development and regenerative or pathological processes of further life.