Cell - The Unit of Life (Lecture 01)

These flashcards cover the introductory concepts of Cell Biology, including the history of cell discovery, cell theory, the reductionist approach, and key scientific figures from Lecture 01.

Biology

The study of living organisms and living processes occurring in them, as well as the story of life on Earth.

Reductionist Biology

A physico-chemical approach to studying and understanding living organisms by describing various processes in molecular terms.

Aristotle

Recognized as the Father of Biology and the Father of Zoology.

Theophrastus

Recognized as the Father of Botany.

Cell

The fundamental structural and functional unit of all living organisms; anything less than a complete cell does not ensure independent living.

Robert Hooke (1665)

Observed dead cork cells of oak plants, describing them as honeycomb-like structures and empty compartments named 'cellula'.

Micrographia

The book published by Robert Hooke which featured his figures and observations of cork cells.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1674)

The first person to see and describe a live cell, referring to motile cells like protozoa and bacteria as 'animalcules'.

Robert Brown (1831)

The scientist credited with the discovery of the nucleus, described as the brain of the cell.

Unicellular Organisms

Organisms composed of a single cell that are capable of independent existence and performing the essential functions of life.

Matthias Schleiden (1838)

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

Theodore Schwann (1839)

A British Zoologist who observed that animal cells have a thin outer layer called the plasma membrane and concluded that the cell wall is a unique character of plant cells.

Cell Theory

Formulated by Schleiden and Schwann, it states that all living organisms are composed of cells and products of cells.

Rudolf Virchow (1855)

Modified the cell theory to its final shape by explaining that cells divide and new cells are formed from pre-existing cells.

Omnis cellula-e cellula

A Latin phrase meaning that new cells arise from pre-existing cells.

G.N. Ramachandran

The founder of the 'Madras school' of conformational analysis of biopolymers who discovered the triple helical structure of collagen in 1954.

Ramachandran plot

A plot used to rank and analyze the allowed conformations of proteins, considered an outstanding contribution to structural biology.

Electron Microscope

An advanced microscope invented in the 1950s that uses an electron beam with a very low wavelength to achieve much higher resolution power than light microscopes.

Resolution Power

The ability to distinguish two close points or objects, which is significantly higher in electron microscopy than in light microscopy.

5 'P' Rule

A guiding principle stated as: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.