Development of Cell Theory Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards detailing the key figures and concepts in the historical development of cell theory, including Hooke, Leeuwenhoek, Schleiden, Schwann, and Virchow.

Robert Hooke

An English scientist and architect who in 1665 published Micrographia and coined the term "cell" for the tiny box-like compartments he observed in cork.

Compound microscope

A scientific instrument improved by Robert Hooke that uses multiple lenses to magnify small objects.

Micrographia

The 1665 book published by Robert Hooke containing detailed drawings and observations of cork, insects, plant tissues, and snowflakes.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

A Dutch tradesman and scientist who used powerful single-lens microscopes ($200\times-300\times$) to become the first to observe living protozoa and bacteria.

Animalcules

The term used by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek to describe the microscopic organisms, including bacteria and protozoa, that he discovered.

Matthias Schleiden

A German botanist who in 1838 stated that all plant tissues are composed of cells and emphasized that cells are the basic building blocks of all plant structures.

Contributions to Phytogenesis

The 1838 publication by Matthias Schleiden detailing his microscopic observations of plant tissues, including stems, leaves, and roots.

Theodor Schwann

A professor of anatomy who in 1839 published Microscopical Researches into the Accordance in the Structure and Growth of Animals and Plants, extending cell theory to include animal tissues.

Rudolf Virchow

A German physician and pathologist who focused on cell formation and discovered that all new cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Omnis cellula e cellula

A Latin phrase summarized by Rudolf Virchow meaning "every cell comes from a pre-existing cell."

Cellular pathology

The study of how diseases affect cells, which became a cornerstone of modern medicine based on Rudolf Virchow's research.

Spontaneous generation

An older scientific idea that cells could form from non-living material, which was disproved by the observations of Rudolf Virchow.