CELL THEORY

Cell Theory is one of the basic principles of biology. Credit for the formulation of this theory is given to
German scientists Theodor Schwann (1810–1822), Matthias Schleiden (1804–1881), and Rudolph Virchow
(1821–1902).
The Cell Theory states:
❖ All living organisms are composed of cells. They may be unicellular or multicellular.
❖ The cell is the basic unit of life.
❖ Cells arise from pre-existing cells. (They are not derived from spontaneous generation.)
The modern version of the Cell Theory includes the ideas that:
• Energy flow occurs within cells.
• Heredity information (DNA) is passed on from cell to cell.
• All cells have the same basic chemical composition.
In addition to the cell theory, the gene theory, evolution, homeostasis, and the laws of
thermodynamics form the basic principles that are the foundation for the study of life.

TIMELINE OF THE CELL THEORY:

DATE EVENT
1595 Zacharias Jansenn and Hans Lipperhey invented the compound microscope.
1665 Robert Hooke discovered a honeycomb-like structure in a cork slice using a primitive
compound microscope. He only saw cell walls as this was dead tissue. He coined the term "cell"
for these individual compartments he saw.
I. Hooke contributed to the cell theory by literally discovering cells.
II. Hooke made this contribution to the cell theory in 1665.
III. Hooke's discovery help paved the way to the rejection of spontaneous rejection by demolishing
the idea that living things came out of nothing or nonliving things. In truth, while Hooke only saw
dead cell remains, it still proved that there was something that made up a once-living thing
1670s Anton van Leeuwenhoek significantly improved the quality of microscope lenses to the point that
he could see the single-celled organisms that lived in a drop of pond water. He called these
organisms “animalcules,” which means “miniature animals.”
I. This scientist contributed to the cell theory by being the first to prove that a living thing has cells.
Hooke could not take credit for this as he only witnessed the dead cells in a piece of cork.
II. This scientist made his contribution to the cell theory in 1673.
III. This scientist's discovery helped lead to the rejection of spontaneous generation through

Prepared by: Carl Michael Austria

 supporting the notion that living things must come from somewhere and must be made out of
some "entity" instead of randomly appearing out of thin air or abiotic factors.
1804 Johann Heinrich Friedrich (J.H.K) Link and Karl Rudolphi were the first to prove that cells were
independent of each other and had their own cell walls. Prior to this work, it was thought that cells
shared their walls and that was how fluids were transported between them.
1833 Robert Brown discovered the nucleus in plant cells.
1838 Matthias Jakob Schleiden, a German botanist, proposes that all plant tissues are composed
of cells, and that cells are the basic building blocks of all plants. This statement was the first
generalized statement about cells.
I. This scientist contributed to the cell theory by creating one of the most prominent characteristics
of the cell theory, that of which is "cells are the fundamental units of life"
II. This scientist made the discovery in 1838
III. This discovery helped debunk the theory of spontaneous generation by supplying the public
with the fact that all in order for something to be alive, it has to be made up of cells.
1839 Theodore Schwann became interested in Schleiden's research. Schwann went on to analyze
animal tissue and thus, the fact that all living things have cells was permanently ingrained into the
cell theory.
I. This contributed to the cell theory as it officially confirmed the fact that all living things contain
cells of some kind, be it plant or animal.
II. Theodore Schwann made the contribution in 1839.
III. This discovery helped reject the theory of spontaneous generation by encouraging that living
things don't appear out of non- living things.
1840 Albrecht von Roelliker discovered that sperm and eggs are also cells.
1845 Carl Heinrich Braun revised the cell theory with his interpretation that cells are the basic unit of
life.
1850 Louis Pasteur created an experiment that showed cells could only be formed from pre-
existing cells.
I. This scientist contributed to the cell theory by supporting the idea that cells are products of other
cells.
II. Louis Pasteur made this contribution in 1850.
III. This scientist's discovery helped lead to the rejection of the theory of spontaneous generation
by proving that living things are products of cells, which are living things.

Prepared by: Carl Michael Austria

 1852 Robert Remak, a prominent neurologist and embryologist, published convincing evidence that
cells are derived from other cells as a result of cell division. However, this idea was
questioned by many in the scientific community.
1855 Rudolf Virchow a well-respected pathologist, published an editorial essay entitled “Cellular
Pathology,” which popularized the concept of cell theory using the Latin phrase omnis cellula a
cellula (“all cells arise from cells”).

References:
Bailey, R. (2020). Cell Theory: A Core Principle of Biology. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/cell-theory-
373300
Biologydictionary. (2017). Cell Theory Timeline. Retrieved from https://biologydictionary.net/cell-theory-timeline
Microbiology. (n.d.). Foundations of Modern Cell Theory. Retrieved from
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/microbiology/chapter/foundations-of-modern-cell-theory/
Preceden. (n.d.). The Evolution of the Cell Theory. Retrieved from https://www.preceden.com/timelines/330749-the-
evolution-of-the-cell-theory
SoftSchools. (n.d.). Cell Theory Timeline. Retrieved from
https://www.softschools.com/timelines/cell_theory_timeline/96/

Prepared by: Carl Michael Austria