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Lecture-Notes-BIO-100-Alngog 2

Cells are the fundamental units of life, discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665, and are essential for understanding biological processes. The invention of the microscope allowed for the observation of cells and led to the development of cell theory, which states that all living organisms are composed of cells. Key figures in cell biology include Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, who observed living cells, and scientists like Theodor Schwann and Rudolf Virchow, who contributed to the formulation of cell theory.

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6 views

Lecture-Notes-BIO-100-Alngog 2

Cells are the fundamental units of life, discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665, and are essential for understanding biological processes. The invention of the microscope allowed for the observation of cells and led to the development of cell theory, which states that all living organisms are composed of cells. Key figures in cell biology include Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, who observed living cells, and scientists like Theodor Schwann and Rudolf Virchow, who contributed to the formulation of cell theory.

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Mark Egay Abong
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© © All Rights Reserved
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North Eastern Mindanao State University


HISTORY OF THE CELLS

What is a Cell?
A cell is the structural and fundamental unit of life.
The study of cells from its basic structure to the
functions of every cell organelle is called Cell Biology.
Robert Hooke was the first Biologist who discovered
cells.

All organisms are made up of cells. They may be


made up of a single cell (unicellular), or many cells
(multicellular). Mycoplasmas are the smallest known
cells. Cells are the building blocks of all living beings.
They provide structure to the body and convert the nutrients taken from the
food into energy. Cells are complex and their components perform various
functions in an organism. They are of different shapes and sizes, pretty much
like bricks of the buildings. Our body is made up of cells of different shapes
and sizes.

Importance of knowing the history of the cell:


Knowing the history of the cell helps us understand the basics of life and how
science has developed over time. It shows how discoveries like the invention
of the microscope and the idea that all living things are made of cells have
shaped our knowledge of biology. This understanding is important for studying
how life works, how living things are connected, and how we use this
knowledge in areas like medicine and technology today.

Discovery of Cells
Discovery of cells is one of the remarkable advancements in the field of
science. It helps us know that all the organisms are made up of cells, and
these cells help in carrying out various life processes. The structure and
functions of cells helped us to understand life in a better way.

The Invention of the Microscope


Two Dutch spectacle-makers and father-and-son team,
Hans and Zacharias Janssen, create the first
microscope. In the late 1500s, they were working with
their glasses and discovered that if they put several
glass lenses inside a tube the object near the end of the
tube would appear much larger.

The microscope let scientists see entire new worlds,


leading to many discoveries—especially in biology and
medicine—that could not have been made without it.
Some examples include the discovery of cells and the
identification of bacteria and other single-celled organisms. It allowed
scientists to see cells, bacteria, and many other structures that are too small
Republic of the Philippines
North Eastern Mindanao State University
to be seen with the unaided eye. It gave them a direct view into the unseen
world of the extremely tiny.

Who discovered cells?


Robert Hooke discovered the cell in 1665. Robert Hooke
observed a piece of bottle cork under a compound
microscope and noticed minuscule structures that reminded
him of small rooms. Consequently, he named these
“rooms” as cells. However, his compound microscope had
limited magnification, and hence, he could not see any
details in the structure. Owing to this limitation, Hooke
concluded that these were non-living entities.

Later Anton Van Leeuwenhoek observed cells under


another compound microscope with higher magnification.
This time, he had noted that the cells exhibited some
form of movement (motility). As a result, Leeuwenhoek
concluded that these microscopic entities were “alive.”
Eventually, after a host of other observations, these
entities were named as animalcules.

In 1883, Robert Brown, a Scottish botanist, provided the very first insights
into the cell structure. He was able to describe the nucleus present in the cells
of orchids.

Cell Theory
Cell Theory was proposed by the German scientists, Theodor Schwann,
Matthias Schleiden, and Rudolf Virchow. The cell theory states that:

 All living species on Earth are composed of cells.


 A cell is the basic unit of life.
 All cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Cell theory, fundamental scientific theory of biology according to which cells


are held to be the basic units of all living tissues. First proposed by German
scientists Theodor Schwann and Matthias Jakob Schleiden in 1838, the
theory that all plants and animals are made up of cells marked a great
conceptual advance in biology and resulted in renewed attention to the living
processes that go on in cells.

Hugo Von Mohl


Hugo von Mohl discovered mitosis. He discovered
chloroplasts - describing them as discrete bodies within
the green plant cell in 1837. In 1846, he called the sap in
plant cells "the living substance of the cell" and created
the word "protoplasm. "
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North Eastern Mindanao State University

Jan evangelista purkyně


Jan Evangelista Purkyně was a Czech anatomist and
physiologist. In 1839, he coined the term "protoplasma"
for the fluid substance of a cell. He was one of the best
known scientists of his time.

Carl Wilhelm von Nägeli


In 1842, Swiss botanist Karl Wilhelm von Nageli first
observed chromosomes in plant cells. Later, it was
discovered that chromosomes—particles made up of
DNA and proteins— are crucial in heredity and in the
cell division process known as Mitosis.

Reference:
1. Admin. (2022, July 5). What Is A Cell? - Definition, Structure, Types,
Functions. BYJUS. https://byjus.com/biology/cells/
2. Shannon, R. R., & Ford, B. J. (2024, November 7). Microscope | Types,
Parts, History, Diagram, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/microscope/Magnification
3. CK-12 Foundation. (2024, September 4). Flexi answers - How have
microscopes changed the world? | CK-12 Foundation.
https://www.ck12.org/flexi/physical-science/scope-of-chemistry/how-have-
microscopes-changed-the-world/
4. Cell Theory. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/cell-
theory/
5. Byju’s. (2022, July 4). What is cell theory- Who formulated it- In short.
https://byjus.com/question-answer/what-is-cell-theory-who-formulated-it-in-
short/

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