Final answer:
Santiago Ramón y Cajal accurately investigated the structure of neurons by utilizing staining techniques to observe and hand-draw detailed micrographs of the nerve cells, work for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906 with Camillo Golgi.
Step-by-step explanation:
Santiago Ramón y Cajal conducted pioneering investigations into the nature of the nervous system and made significant contributions to our understanding of neuron structure. Over 100 years ago, he reported structures in the nuclei of neurons, including the nucleolus and what came to be known as Cajal bodies (CBs). His observations preceded modern photomicrographic technology, which is indicative of his groundbreaking approach. Using staining techniques and meticulously crafting hand-drawn micrographs, Cajal deeply influenced neuroscience, sharing the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906 with Camillo Golgi for their collective work. Golgi himself had developed a black stain that revealed a network in nerve cells, known as Golgi bodies, emphasizing the importance of using dyes to discern complex structures within the nervous tissue.