History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

(1632–1723) observed
microorganisms by using
his own practical
microscope.
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

- Leeuwenhoek used his

microscope to observe
specimens such as
bacteria, blood cells,
and protist.
- In 1674 he looked at
the water from a lake
near Delft and was
surprised to see tiny
microscopic unicellular
pond-water organisms
which he
called animalcules
(1676). 
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

- Schleiden was a
professor of botany at
the University of Jena,
Germany.
- Published his research
in 1838, based from
studying different
types of plants under
the microscope.

Matthias Schleiden (1804–1881) proposed

that all plants
are composed of cells.
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

- A professor of
physiology at the
University of Louvain,
Belgium.
- Schwann published his
research a year later,
based on his study of
several slides of
animal cells.

Theodor Schwann (1810–1882)

proposed that all
animals are composed of cells.
 The Three Postulates of Cell Theory

Postulate 1: Every living organism are made up of cells. Organism may be

unicellular (left) or multicellular (right) based on their level of complexity.
The Three Postulates of Cell Theory

Principle 2: The cell is the fundamental unit of life. It is the smallest

structural and functional unit in all organisms.
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

- Studied how cells
played a role in body
diseases at that time,
noticed that the
existence of diseases
in the organs and
tissues come from
affected cells.
- He stated “Omnis
cellula e cellula”, which
means that all cells
Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902). arise from existing
cells.
 The Three Postulates of Cell Theory

Principle 3: Cells come from pre-existing cells. Cells contain hereditary

material, which they pass to their daughter cells when they divide.
Spontaneous Generation or
Abiogenesis
• is the idea that life originates from
non-living matter.
• Proposed by Aristotle in the fourth
century and held its position as the
belief on the origin of life until
seventeenth century.
People believed that:
• Flies can grow from cattle manure
• Mice from wheat stored in the
dark
• Maggots from decaying meat
• Fish from mud of previously dried
lakes or lice from sweat
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

He concluded
that life arose
from living
matter such as
maggots from
eggs of flies, and
not from
spontaneous
generation in
Francesco Redi (1626–1697) disproved the the meat
spontaneous generation theory.
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

Gravy is boiled
He concluded
that life in the
broth was
caused by
spontaneous
generation.

Flask is open Flask is sealed Gravy is teeming

He did not heat
with it long enough
John
microogranisms to kill microbes
Needham in the broth
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

Gravy is boiled
He concluded
that life
occurred from
something that
entered the
unsealed flask
and that it was
Flask is open Flask is sealed Gravy is teeming
the one
with responsible for
Lazzaro
microogranisms life to grow
Spallanzi
 History of the Development of Cell Theory

Scientists who contributed to the development of cell theory

Gravy is boiled
This experiment
supported the
theory of
biogenesis and
rejected
spontaneous
generation.
Flask is open Flask is sealed Gravy is teeming
with
microogranisms
Louis Pasteur