Cell Biology — Key Discoveries

Key Discoveries

Discovery of the Cell (Robert Hooke, 1665)

1665

Robert Hooke's observation of 'cells' in cork tissue, using a crude microscope, marked the first time anyone had seen and described the basic units of life. While he observed dead…

Formulation of the Cell Theory (Schleiden, Schwann, Virchow)

1838-1855

Matthias Schleiden (1838) proposed that all plant tissues are composed of cells, and Theodor Schwann (1839) extended this to animal tissues, stating that all living things are…

Discovery of DNA Structure (Watson & Crick, 1953)

1953

James Watson and Francis Crick, building on the work of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, elucidated the double helix structure of DNA. This discovery was monumental as it…