Kayla's Cell Theory Timeline

Zacharias Jansen

Jan 1, 1595

With the help of his father Hans, Zacharias Jansen created the first compound microscope in 1595, which led to the discovery of cells.

Jan Baptist van Helmont

Jan 1, 1640

The Flemish physician, chemist, and physicist van Helmont conducted a 5 year experiment with a willow tree that supported spontaneous generation.

Robert Hooke

Jan 1, 1665

English scientist Robert Hooke used a compoun microscope to view a thin piece of cork and became the first person to see cells.

Anton van Leewenhoek

Jan 1, 1670

Dutch biologist Anton van Leewenhoek improved Jansen's compound microscope in about 1670, and, as a result of his improvements, he was the first to observe single-celled animals called protozoa.

Lorenz Oken

Jan 1, 1805

German naturalist, botanist, biologist, and ornithologist Lorenz Oken came up with the cell theory.

Robert Brown

Jan 1, 1833

English Botanist Brown discovered the nucleus in plant cells.

Matthias Schleiden

Jan 1, 1838

German botanist Mattias Schleiden study plants and came to the conclusion that the cell is the basic building block of all matter.

Theodor Schwann

Jan 1, 1839

German physiologist Theodor Schwann discovered the digestive enzyme in pepsin in 1839, discovered animals had cells, and stated the cell theory.

Albrcht von Roelliker

Jan 1, 1840

Roelliker came to the conclusion that sperm cells and egg cells are cells too.

Rudolph Virchow

Jan 1, 1855

Applied cell theory to public health and stated that all cells develope from existing cells.

Louis Pasteur

Jan 1, 1855

Disproved spontaneous generation with his heated broth test.

Aristotle

Mar 2, 2022

Aristotle believed in spontaneous generation, which cell theory disproves.