Cell theory timeline

  • Robert Hooke

    Year of discovery:1665 Contribution:Robert Hooke discovered the cell. How was it discovered:Robert Hooke looked at a thin slice of cork through a microscope and discovered empty spaces contained by walls and named them pores, or cells.He published a book called Micrographia that included the discovery that he had made.The argument was that no one could see the cells because they were to small to see with the human eye so people were not sure if his discovery was correct.
  • Anton Van Leeuwenhoek

    Year of Discovery:1674 Contribution: Leeuwenhoek created lens for microscopes and this lead to him being the first to see and describe bacteria and protozoa. He discovered the bacteria using one of his microscopes with the lens.He is considered the "Father of Microbiology".
  • Robert Brown

    Year of discovery:1833 Contribution: Robert brown discovered the nucleus and declared that it was the center of the cell. Brown discovered this while studying cells of Asclepiads and orchids. He noticed pollen traveling in and out of ovals in their cells. He called these ovals nucleaus.
  • Theodor Schwann

    Year of Discovery:1839 Contribution:All living things are composed of cells. It was discovered with a method called Fermentation. Theodor is considered one of the founders of the cell theory. He improved the past model because he found that plant cells have a box shape and animal cells have circular shape.
  • Matthias Schleiden

    Year of Discovery:1839 Distribution: He also stated that all living things are made of cells.He was the first to recognize the importance of cells as fundamental units of life. He is also considered one of the founders of the cell theory.He found this by studying the structure of the plants. Schleiden inferred that different parts of the plant organism are composed of cells.
  • Rudolf Virchow

    Year of Discovery:1855 Contribution:Cells arise from other cells rather being formed by action of life or crystallizing from other matter. He was credited as "The Father of Pathology".He studied pathological anatomy.