The Cell Theory

The Cell Theory

The development and refinement

of magnifying lenses and light
microscopes made the observation
and description of microscopic
organisms and living cells
possible.
 The Cell Theory
Many scientists contributed to
the cell theory
 The Cell Theory

3 parts to the cell theory:

1. The cell is the basic unit of life
2. All living things are made of cells
3. Cells come frompre-existing cells
 Anton van Leeuwenheok
(1632-1723)
He invented the
first microscope.
Dutch scientist
who was the first
to see bacteria
and protists.
Leeuwenhoek’s Microscope
 Robert Hooke (1635-1703)

He observed
that cork has
small regular
boxes in it that
he called
“cells”.
Hooke’s cork cells
 Theodor Schwann and Matthais
Schleiden stated that all living things
are made of cells. (1839)

Matthais Schleiden Theodor Schwann

(plants) (animals)
Rudolph Virchow (1821-1902)

German
scientist
who
discovered
that all cells
come from
pre-existing
cells.
 The Cell Theory

Continued advances in microscopy

allowed observation of cell
organelles and structure.
 Electron Microscopes

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM):

bounces electrons off of a whole
gold-coated sample to create vivid 3-
D images
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM):
bounces electrons off of a sliced
sample to create very detailed
images
Questions...

Who used the first microscope?

Who said that plants were made of
cells?
Who coined the term “cell”?
Who said that all animals were made
of cells?
Who said that cells must come from
existing cells?
State the cell theory...

The cell is the basic unit of

structure.
The cell is the basic unit of
function.
All cells arise from pre-existing
cells.