The Development of the Cell Theory

The Cell Theory States: As written by Rudolph Virchow (1821-1902): All living organisms are made of one or more cells. Cells are the basic units of structure and function in all organisms. All cells come from previously existing cells. The activity of an entire organism depends on the total activity of its independent cells.

They passed on their understanding orally. Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 Ancient Times Ancient peoples were always on the look-out for ways that organisms can be used by them. They passed on their understanding orally. Some civilizations supported “great thinkers” – and philosophers, but they rarely based their thoughts on observation or experiments.

Greek philosopher, Aristotle, began to observe nature. Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 334 B.C.E - Aristotle Greek philosopher, Aristotle, began to observe nature. He classified all known organisms as either a Plant or and Animal. He wrote that living things can arise spontaneously from non-living matter.

Roger Bacon, an English friar made reference to a pair of eye glasses. Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1268 – 1st Eyeglasses Roger Bacon, an English friar made reference to a pair of eye glasses. This meant that glass was being developed and used in a way that makes it easier to see small things. Physics

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1590 – 1st Microscope Zacharias Janssen, a Dutch eyeglass maker, made the first microscope by placing two lenses on top of one another to make extra-large images. Physics

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1600’s People started to suggest that life can only come from other forms of life rather than through spontaneous generation (as was suggested by Aristotle). William Harvey said that maggots do not come from the meat itself but from tiny eggs too small to be scene. Biology/Medicine William Harvey English Physician 1578-1657

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1665 – 1st Cells Seen Robert Hooke (1635-1703) published a book with illustrations of tree bark as seen through a simple compound (2 lens) microscope. Physics William Harvey English Physician 1578-1657

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1668 – 1st Experiments about origins of maggots Francesco Redi (1626-1697) conducted experiments to prove that maggots do not appear in meat if flies cannot land on it! Biology William Harvey English Physician 1578-1657

1674 – 1st Microscopic Organisms Seen! Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1674 – 1st Microscopic Organisms Seen! Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) reported being able to see tiny beasties (0.002 mm) using a simple single-lens microscope. Biology William Harvey English Physician 1578-1657

1753 – Birth of Classification Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1753 – Birth of Classification Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778) began to show people the great diversity of living things by exploring methods of classifying them into 5 main Kingdoms. Biology

1770 – Advancement of Microscopes Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1770 – Advancement of Microscopes Microscopes became sturdier and easier to use. Flaws in glass production still caused images to be blurry and have coloured halos. Physics

1809 – 1st Science Texts for Students Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1809 – 1st Science Texts for Students Jane Haldimand (1769-1858) wrote textbooks for young people to learn about science. Words such as “cell”, “cellular system” and “Cellular tissue” appear in the book.

1820’s – Better Glass = Better Lens Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1820’s – Better Glass = Better Lens Microscope quality improved with the production of better glass. Many English companies competed to produce the best microscope. Physics

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1825 – Book “Cells from Cells” Francois Vincent Raspail (1794-1878) wrote a book called “Every cell is derived from a preexisting cell”. Biology

Scientists began to study the cell extensively. Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1830 – Cells are studied Biology was becoming an important science and the body of knowledge was growing, especially since the improvement of microscopes. Scientists began to study the cell extensively.

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1831 – Nucleus of Cell Found Robert Brown (1773-1858) was the first to think of the nucleus as a regular part of a living cell. The nucleus was still hard to see though without the invention of the electric light for his microscope. Biology

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1838 – Plant cells! Matthias Jacob Schleiden (1804-1881) made the claim “All plants are made of cells”. Cells are alive! Biology

Cells are the basic structure of life! Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1839 – Animal cells! Theodor Schwann (1810-1882) made the claim “All animals are made of cells”. Cells are the basic structure of life! Biology

“The cell is the basic unit of life”. Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1845 – Cell Basic Unit of Life Alexander Carl Heinrich Braun (1805-1877) said: “The cell is the basic unit of life”. Cells are made of protoplasm enveloped by a flexible membrane. Biology

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1856 – Staining technique developed 18 year old, William Henry Perkin (1838-1907) developed a new purple dye for staining cell parts making it easier to see cell parts with a microscope. Chemistry

Biology 1858 – Article on Evolution Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1858 – Article on Evolution Charles Darwin (1809-1882) & Alfred Wallace (1823-1913) read their article on “Tendency of species to form variations”. Biology

Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1858 – Cell Theory Outlined Rudolph Virchow (1821-1902) developed his Cell Theory that is still largely accepted today. Biology

Biology 1860’s – The end of the “Spontaneous Generation” debate Timeline of the discoveries, thoughts and technologies that led to the development of the Cell Theory 500 BCE 1000 1600 1800 300 BCE 1500 1700 1900 1860’s – The end of the “Spontaneous Generation” debate Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) conducted a series of experiments that once and for all put to rest the idea of spontaneous generation and concluding that living organisms do not arise from non-living matter. Biology