Meet the Scientists
Developing the Cell Theory
What is a cell?
• The cell is a basic building block of living
things, both plant and animal.
All living things have cells.
• Plants
• Animals
Cell Theory
• All organisms are composed (made up of)
cells.
Tool used to view cells
Timeline - 1590
• Hans and Zacharias Janssen (1590),
Dutch glasses makers, father and son.
Produced first compound microscope (2
lenses).
1590
Hans &
Zacahrias
Janssen
Produced 1st
compound
microscope
Timeline- 1665
• Robert Hooke (1665), English Father of
Microscopy, looked at a thin slice of cork
through a compound microscope and
observed tiny, hollow room like structures.
He called them cells, but only saw the
outer cell walls because the cork cells
were not alive.
First to see
cells in a
piece of cork
Robert
Hooke
1590
Hans &
Zacahrias
Janssen
Produced 1st
compound
microscope
1665
Timeline-1680
• Anton van Leeuwenhook (1680),
Dutch Amateur Scientist, Father of
Microscopy, first to see and describe
bacteria, yeast, organism in pond
water, and blood cells
First to see
cells in a
piece of cork
Robert
Hooke
1590
1680s
Hans &
Zacahrias
Janssen
1st
Produced
compound
microscope
1665
Anton van
Leeuwenhoek
First to
observe living
cells; Father of
Microscopy
Timeline-1838
• Matthias Schleiden (1838), German
Botanist, viewed plant parts under a
microscope and discovered that they are
made of cells.
First to see
cells in a
piece of cork
Robert
Hooke
1590
Hans &
Zacahrias
Janssen
Produced 1st
compound
microscope
1680s
1665
1838
Matthias
Schleiden
Anton van
Leeuwenhoek
First to
observe living
cells; Father of
Microscopy
Discovered
plants are
made of
cells
Timeline-1839
• Theodor Schwann (1839), German
Zoologist, viewed animals parts under a
microscope and discovered that they are
made of cells.
First to see
cells in a
piece of cork
Discovered
animals are
made of
cells
Robert
Hooke
Theodor
Schwann
1590
Hans &
Zacahrias
Janssen
Produced 1st
compound
microscope
1680s
1665
1838
Matthias
Schleiden
Anton van
Leeuwenhoek
First to
observe living
cells; Father of
Microscopy
Discovered
plants are
made of
cells
1839
Timeline- 1855
• Rudolph Virchow (1855), German
Physician, stated that living cells come
only from other living cells.
First to see
cells in a
piece of cork
Discovered
animals are
made of
cells
Robert
Hooke
Theodor
Schwann
1590
Hans &
Zacahrias
Janssen
Produced 1st
compound
microscope
1680s
1665
1838
Matthias
Schleiden
Anton van
Leeuwenhoek
First to
observe living
cells; Father of
Microscopy
Discovered
plants are
made of
cells
1855
1839
Rudolph
Virchow
Stated living cells
come from other
living cells
CELL THEORY
• Based on the findings of Schleiden,
Schwann, and Virchow
• All life forms are made from one or more
cells
• Cells can only be made from other cells
• The cell is the smallest form of life