Cell: The Unit of Life - NEET Botany Vol-1 Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on the NEET Botany lecture notes covering the history, theory, and basic components of the cell.

Robert Hooke

The scientist who discovered the first cell in Cork cells of Oak (Quercus suber) tree.

Anton Von Leeuwenhoek

The first person who saw and described a living cell.

Robert Brown

The scientist who discovered the nucleus.

Matthias Schleiden ($1838$)

A German botanist who examined a large number of plants and observed that all plants are composed of different kinds of cells which form the tissues of the plant.

Theodore Schwann ($1839$)

A German Zoologist who reported that animal cells had a thin outer layer known as the 'plasma membrane' and concluded that the presence of cell wall is a unique character of plant cells.

Cell Theory

A theory formulated by Schleiden and Schwann stating that all living organisms are composed of cells and products of cells, later modified to include that all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Rudolf Virchow ($1855$)

The scientist who first explained that cells divide and new cells are formed from pre-existing cells (Omnis cellula-e cellula).

Acellular structures

Structures like viruses and prions to which the cell theory is not applicable.

Protoplast

A plant cell without a cell wall.

Eukaryotic cells

Cells that have membrane bound nuclei and other membrane bound distinct structures called organelles like the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), golgi complex, lysosomes, mitochondria, and microbodies.

Prokaryotic cells

Cells that lack a membrane bound nucleus and lack membrane bound organelles.

Cytoplasm

A semi-fluid matrix that occupies the volume of the cell and is the main arena of cellular activities in both plant and animal cells.

Ribosomes

Non-membrane bound organelles found in all cells, both eukaryotic and prokaryotic, as well as within chloroplasts, mitochondria, and on rough ER.

Centriole

A non-membrane bound organelle found in animal cells which helps in cell division.