Cell Theory Timeline

  • Feb 2, 1300

    Roger Bacon used a convex lense as a magnifying glass

  • Feb 2, 1485

    Leonardo Da Vinci used glass lenses to study small objects

  • Further development of compound microscope

    Done by Robert Hooke, including the use of the iris diagram. He kept detailed records of his observations.
  • "Utricles"

    Martello Malpighi stated that all plants are built of chambers. ('Utricles')
  • Discovering uni cellular organisms

    Anton van Leeuwenhoek described uni cellular organisms from his observations of a drop of stagnant rain water. He discovered more uni cellular organisms when looking at water soaked peppercorns.
  • Bacteria is discovereed

    Leeuwenhoek discovers bacteria from his observations on saliva.
  • No serious work in the 1700's

  • Animals are plants are made of the same cells

    This was discovered by Rene Dutrochet
  • Cell Nucleus theorised

    Robert Brown noted that the cells of orchids he was observing contained a structure inside the shell. He called this the nucleus.
  • Cell theory formulated

    Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann formulated a theory that all living matter is comprised of small units called cells.
  • Cell theory continues to come together.

    Rudolf Virchow stated that 'where a cell exists there must be a pre existing cell, just as the animal only arises from the animal and the plant only from a plant.'
  • Technology improves

    Carl Zeiss and Ernst Abbe produced the first oil immersion objectives. Images could be magnified over 1000x.
  • Cell division discovered

    Walther Flemming described mitosis from observations on living and stained cells.
  • First electron microscope

    Built by Ernst Ruska. This paved the way for further development in this field. The details of internal cell structure was revealed using these technologies.
  • Continued technological advancements

    Throughout the rest of the 20th and into the 21st century microscope technology has continued to progress to extreme lengths. This allows incredibly detailed study of cells.