Cell Theory Essay

Cell Theory Origin

The cell theory was not just created by one scientist at one point in time. The cell theory was discovered over the course over hundreds of years, by many scientists, some of whom have never been recorded. The three principles of the cell theory that are used today are:

1. All organisms are composed of one or more cells.

2. The cell is a basic unit of life.

3. New cells arise only from cells that already exist.

The origin of the biological term cell came from Robert Hooke in 1662. He observed tiny compartments in the cork of a mature tree and gave them the Latin name “cellulae”, which translates into “small rooms”. In the late 1680s, Anton Van Leeuwenhoek was the first scientist to actually lay eyes on a cell. Before, there had been theories of “cells” but no one had the technology to see something so microscopic yet. Van Leeuwenhoek ran a draper 's shop and wanted to see the quality of the thread, better than the magnifying lenses available at that time. Therefore, he began to develop an interest in lens-making, with an interest already in microscopes and a familiarity with glass

In 1849, he completed his studies of cell growth and reproduction of their division into two cells. He concluded that every cell comes from an already existing cell. A prolific writer, his scientific writings alone crossed 2,000 in number. Among his books, “Cellular Pathology” was published in 1858 and is regarded as the root of modern pathology. This work also popularised the third dictum in cell theory: “All cells come from cells”. Virchow was the first to precisely describe and give names of diseases such as leukemia, chordoma, ochronosis, embolism, and thrombosis. He also coined scientific terms, chromatin, agenesis, parenchyma, osteoid, amyloid degeneration, and spina