Cells are the basic unit of all living things and were first observed in the 17th century with the invention of the microscope. Key figures in early cell study include Anton van Leeuwenhoek who developed the first microscope, Robert Hooke who coined the term "cell", and Robert Brown who discovered the nucleus. The cell theory was developed from the work of Schleiden, Schwann, and Virchow and states that 1) the cell is the basic unit of life, 2) all living things are made of cells, and 3) all new cells come from existing cells.

1. Set up your
notes like
this!!
Name
Period
Date Cell History & Theory
History
Theory

2. Cell
History
and
Theory

3. Cells
the basic unit of all living things.
the building blocks of all life.
The smallest unit that can still
carry on all life processes
Both unicelluar and multicellular
organisms are composed of
cells.

4. History of Cell Study
Scientists did not know about cells
until the invention of the
microscope in the 17th century
Most cells are so small they can
not be seen w/o a microscope.

5. Anton van Leeuwenhoek- Dutch naturalist
(1600’s). Developed the first microscope.
Robert Hooke- English (1665) was the first to
develop a compound microscope. He
came up with the term cell after looking at
a piece of cork
History
Robert Brown- (1831) discovered the nucleus of
the cell.

6. History cont…..
Matthias Schleiden- (German, around 1830’s) a
Botanist, concluded that all plants were made
up of cells.
Theodor Schwann- (German, worked during the
same time as Schleiden), studied animal cells.
Concluded that animals were made up of
cells.
Rudolf Virchow- (1858) concluded that all new
cells must come from previously existing
cells.

7. The Cell Theory
1. The cell is the basic unit of all living
things.
2. All living things are made up of cells.
3. All cells come from existing cells.