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invention of microscope
With the invention of the microscope
at the beginning of the seventeenth
century, it became possible to take
a first glimpse at the previously invisible
world of microscopic life. I picked this event because it was the beginning of what set everything off for the next few decades. -
first description of a cell
robert hooke: In 1665 Hooke published
Micrographia, the first important work
devoted to microscopical observation, and
showed what the microscope could mean
for naturalists. He described the microscopic units that made up the structure of a slice of cork and coined the term ‘‘cells’’ or
‘‘pores’’ to refer to these units. I picked this event because it was the first time anyone truly examined a cell and would help tons of other scientists. -
recognizing the nucleus as essential to living cells
The Scottish botanist Robert Brown (1773–1858) was the first to recognize the nucleus (a term that he introduced) as an essential
constituent of living cells (1831). I picked this because it helped scientists be able to begin a variety of new experiments with various organisms. -
first cell theory formulated
Scientists Schleiden and Schwann studied cells and made various discoveries and conclusions about cells. Their conclusions are
considered to represent the official formulation of ‘cell theory’. I picked this event because it was the beginning of the original cell theory. -
cells are formed through scisson of pre existing cells
Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902) and Albert Kölliker (1817–1905) who
showed that cells are formed through scission of pre-existing cells. Virchow’s aphorism omnis cellula e cellula (every cell from a pre-existing cell) thus became the basis of the theory of tissue formation, even if the mechanisms of nuclear division were not understood at the time. I included this event because it was another detrimental finding to help scientists understand cells. -
karl deiters publishes posthumously
A book by Karl Deiters (1834–1863), published posthumously in 1865, contains beautiful descriptions and drawings of nerve cells studied by using histological methods and microdissections made with thin needles under the microscope. I included this event because this book was able to help people understand cells. -
oil immersion lens developed
The introduction of the oil immersion lens in 1870, the development of the microtome technique and the use of new fixing methods and dyes greatly improved microscopy. I included this event because it improved microscopes which improved the way cells were examined. -
german histologist josepth expands previous views of cells
In 1872, the German histologist Joseph Gerlach expanded Kölliker’s view and proposed that, in all of the central nervous system, nerve cells established anastomoses with each other through a network formed by the minute branching of their dendrites. I included this event because this was important to other scientists so they could continue to make conclusions about cells. -
golgi developed the black reaction
The most important breakthrough in neurocytology and neuroanatomy came in 1873 when Golgi developed the ‘black reaction’22, which he announced to a friend with these few words, “I am delighted that I have found a new reaction to demonstrate, even to the blind, the structure of the interstitial stroma of the cerebral cortex. I included this event because the black reaction helped scientists learn a lot about cells. -
waldeyer introduced the term numerous
Waldeyer introduced the term ‘‘neurons’’ to indicate independent nerve cells. Thereafter, cell theory as applied to the nervous system became known as the ‘neuron theory’. I included this event because this conclusion was reached because of the black reaction so I wanted to show how different scientists help each other out with their findings.