The Cell Theory

Every organism, no matter what size it becomes when fully grown, comes from a multicellular unit called
“cell”. A single unit of this cell continuously divide and replicate to make up an organism.

The cell theory states that all organisms are composed of cells. It also has postulates that describes other
properties of the cell.

Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things. The human body is composed of trillions of cells.
They provide structure for the body, take in nutrients from food, convert those nutrients into energy, and
carry out specialized functions.

Cells also contain the body’s hereditary material and can make copies of themselves.

Cells have many parts, each with different function. Some of these parts called organelles, are
specialized structures that perform certain tasks within the cell.

POSTULATES OF CELL THEORY

1. All living things are composed of cells.

2. Cell is the basic unit of life.

3. All cells arise from pre- existing cells.

In 1665, English Physicist ROBERT HOOKE used the first light microscope to look at thin slices of plant
tissues. One of these, a slice of cork especially caught his eye.

Under a microscope, cork seemed to be made of thousands of tiny chambers. Hooked called these
chambers “cells” because they reminded him of a monastery’s tiny rooms, which is also known as cells.

Until 1683, ANTON VAN LEEUWENHOEK published his observation of tiny living organisms which he
named “animalcules.” It was believed that Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe under his microscope
the structure of a red blood cell of different animals as well as a sperm cell.

One of the leading Botanists in time, ROBERT BROWN in 1831 was able to compare diverse kinds of plant
specimens under the microscope.
He markedly indicated that there is a common thing about them: they are all composed of cells, and
inside the cell is a dark dense spot, termed the “nucleus.”

German Botanist Matthias Schleiden (1838) concluded that all plant parts are made of cells.

German Zoologist Theodor Schwann (1839), a close friend of Schleiden, stated that all animal tissues
composed of cells.

Rudolph Virchow (1858) concluded that all cells come from pre-existing cells.

ROBERT HOOKE - USED A MICROSCOPE TO VIEW A PIECE OF CORK THAT HE DETERMINED SMALL
COMPARTMENTS HE CALLED “CELLS”

ANTON VAN LEEUWENHOEK - USED LENSES TO MAKE SIMPLE MICROSCOPES THAT COULD VIEW LIVING
ORGANISMS UNDER GREATER THAN 200X MAGNIFICATION

ROBERT BROWN - COMPARED DIVERSE KINDS OF PLANT SPECIMENS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE AND
CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS A COMMON THING ABOUT THEM, THEY ARE ALL COMPOSED OF CELLS
WITH NUCLEUS

MATTHIAS SCHLEIDEN - STUDIED PLANT TISSUES AND DETERMINED THAT PLANTS ARE COMPOSED OF
CELLS

THEODORE SCHWANN - HE DETERMINED THAT ANIMAL TISSUES ARE COMPOSED OF CELLS

RUDOLPH VIRCHOW - HE CONCLUDED THAT THE NEW CELLS IN AN ORGANISM ARE PRODUCED BY PRE-
EXISTING CELLS

The discoveries made by these scientists led to the formulation of the cell theory (basic generalizations
that are accepted by modern science about cell) that describes the properties of all cells. This theory can
be summed up into three basic components
1. All living things are composed of cells.

2. Cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things.

3. New cells are produced from pre-existing cells.

Korea’s DMZ: The World’s Most Dangerous Border

Countries are separated by either political or geographical border. Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ),
which was created in 1953, is the most dangerous border in the world. It may be the symbol of the
cease- fire between the two countries but the areas in the north and south of the DMZ are still heavily
fortified.

Organelle

An organelle is a membrane-bound structure within cell. Its membrane is similar with the cell’s lipid
membrane that holds all the cell’s components.

Each organelle in the cell perform a specific task wherein the combination of these tasks expresses the
overall function of the cell.

Cell Organelles

 Cell Membrane
 Nucleus
 Endoplasmic
 Reticulum
 Mitochondrion
 Lysosomes
 Chloroplast
 Cytoskeleton

Cell Membrane

The cell membrane is a biological bilayer membrane composed of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates.

It separates the cell from the external environment and controls the movement of substances in and out
of the cell.

Nucleus
The nucleus is the most prominent structure in cells. It houses the cell’s genetic Information, DNA, within
its double membrane structure.

This structure also controls the growth and reproduction of cells.

Mitochondria

Commonly known as the cell’s powerhouse.

It is responsible for the conversion of glucose into Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) through cellular
respiration.

ATP is the energy source of all cellular functions and processes.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

(RER) – synthesizes and modifies proteins (i.e. insulin) that are either transported outside the cell or into
the plasma membrane.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

(SER) – synthesizes lipids and steroids which are major components of the cell membrane.

Golgi Body & Lysosomes

Golgi Body is an organelle of stack membrane disks (cisternae) that packs proteins from the RER into
small spheres of phospholipids (vesicles) and secretes them from the cell.

Lysosomes are portions of the cisternae that breaks down cellular debris and transports them into the
cell.

Chloroplast

Chloroplast is the organelle responsible for Photosynthesis, a process where plants convert the energy
from the sun into glucose.

They contain chlorophyll and other pigments stacked in their thylakoid membranes.