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Robert Hooke
Hooke published a book called Micrographic in 1665, it described microscopic and telescopic observations. He coined the word cell as he believed plant cells resembled monk cells. The book also may contain his ideas on combustion and concluded that involves a substance related to air this was most likely oxygen. He was on of the first to support the idea of biological evolution. -
Anton van Leuwenhoek
He improved the magnification (up to 300 times greater) of microscopes -
Anton van Leuwenhoek
In 1676 using handcrafted microscopes, Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first person to observe , describe and publish data on single celled organisms, which he originally referred to as animalcules (microorganisms). -
Anton van Leuwenhoek
He discovered bacteria from a sample of saliva from his mouth. -
Matthias Schleiden
German botanist, cofounder (with Theodor Schwann) of the cell theory. Theodore Schwann and Matthias Schleiden compared observations on the presence of a nucleus in both animal and plant cells. This sparked a proposal that for the next stage of cell theory, 'The cell is the basic unit of structure for all living things'. -
Theodor Schwann
Theodor was a German scientist who studied animals (zoologist). He saw that all animals he studied were cellular so concluded:
“All animals are made of cells.” -
Robert Brown
Robert Brown observed a small and dark-staining sphere inside plant cells. He called this structure a nucleus. Brown's discovery was a key step in the development of the basic cell theory. -
Rudolf Virchow
Rudolf Virchow's contribution to the cell theory includes the way cells reproduced and recognizing leukemia cells. He proved the theory that cells reproduce from other cells, and not from the previous belief of spontaneous reproduction, (such as maggots spontaneously appearing from decaying meat.) He proved this theory of cell division through a book he published in 1858, called Omnis cellula e cellula ("Every cell originates from another existing cell like it.").