History of the Cell Theory Robert Hook 1665

History of the Cell Theory

Robert Hook 1665 • Robert Hook (1665) • First person to describe cells. • He looked at a slice of cork under his microscope and saw tiny little boxes that reminded him of the cells (bedrooms) that he saw at a monastery. • The word cell means “little room” in Latin.

Anton von Leewenhoek 1673 • Leewenhoek was a Dutch merchant and scientist. • He made a microscope and took a look at pond scum. • He saw small organisms in the water and named them animalcules which means “little animals. ” • Leewenhoek was also the first person to discover bacteria by looking at his own teeth scrapings! • Ewwww!

Matthias Schleiden 1838 • Schleiden was a botanist. Botany is the study of plants. • In 1838 he concluded that all plants are made of cells.

Theodor Schwann 1839 • Schwann was a zoologist. Zoology is the study of animals. • He concluded that all animals are made of cells. • Schwann wrote the first two parts of the cell theory: 1. All organisms are made of one or more cells. 2. The cell is the basic unit of all living things.

Rudolf Virchow 1858 • Virchow was a German doctor. • He concluded that cells could form only from other cells. • Free forming/spontaneously generated cells did not exist. • He wrote third part of the cell theory: 3. All cells come from existing cells.

The Cell Theory • All organisms are made up of one or more cells. • The cell is basic unit of all living things. • All cells come from existing cells.

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