Cell Biology: History and Foundations

Flashcards covering the definition of cell biology, the history of microscopy, the development of cell theory, and modern cellular research applications.

Cell biology

The branch of biology that studies cells as the smallest units of life, including their structure, function, communication, and life cycle.

Homeostasis

The process by which living things maintain internal stability by coordinating cellular processes.

Organelles

The internal parts of a cell that are organized to perform specific functions.

Cell theory

A foundational framework stating that all living organisms are made of one or more cells, the cell is the basic unit of structure and function, and all cells come from pre-existing cells.

Resolution

The ability to distinguish two close objects as separate, which is critical for clear microscopic imaging.

Robert Hooke

The scientist who, in 1665, observed thin slices of cork and named the tiny compartments "cells" because they reminded him of small rooms.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

A scientist in the 1670s who used single-lens microscopes to observe living "animalcules," now known as protists and bacteria.

Matthias Schleiden

A scientist in the 1800s who concluded that all plants are made of cells.

Theodor Schwann

A scientist in the 1800s who concluded that animals are made of cells.

Rudolf Virchow

The scientist who in 1855 argued "Omnis cellula e cellula," meaning that new cells arise only from existing cells.

Spontaneous generation

The older, challenged claim that life could arise from non-life under ordinary conditions.

Electron microscopy (EM)

A 20th-century technology that revealed cell ultrastructure and detailed organelles far beyond the capability of light microscopes.

Cell fractionation

A biochemical technique that links cell structures to specific functions, such as identifying the role of mitochondria in energy release.

Fluorescence microscopy

A modern tool used in cell biology to track specific molecules within living cells.

Cell culture

The technique of studying cells growing under controlled laboratory conditions.

Cancer biology

The study of uncontrolled cell division and signaling errors within cells.

Immunology

The study of how immune cells recognize and respond to external threats.

Regenerative medicine

A field focused on using stem cells to repair or replace damaged tissues.

Skeletal muscles

The human body has more than 600 of these, with many references citing approximately 650, which aid in movement and posture.

Adult Human Skeleton

An average adult human has $206$ bones.

Infant Human Skeleton

Babies are born with about $270$ bones, some of which fuse together during growth.