Robert Hooke's Discovery of Cells
Robert Hooke, using a primitive microscope, observed the structure of cork and coined the term "cell" to describe the box-like structures he saw. This marked the first recorded observation of cells.
1665
1674
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek's Observations
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, using a more advanced microscope, observed and described living cells, including bacteria and protozoa, which he referred to as "animalcules."
1831
Robert Brown's Nucleus Discovery
Robert Brown identified the nucleus within plant cells, highlighting the importance of this structure in cellular function.
1838
Matthias Schleiden's Plant Cell Theory
Matthias Schleiden proposed that all plants are composed of cells, emphasizing the cell as the fundamental unit of plant structure and function.
1839
Theodor Schwann's Animal Cell Theory
Theodor Schwann extended Schleiden's theory to animals, concluding that all living things are composed of cells, thus forming the basis of the unified Cell Theory.
1855
Rudolf Virchow's Omnis Cellula e Cellula
Rudolf Virchow famously stated "Omnis cellula e cellula" (all cells come from pre-existing cells), further solidifying the Cell Theory by explaining cell division.
1879
Walther Flemming's Mitosis Discovery
Walther Flemming described the process of mitosis, the division of a cell nucleus, providing insight into how cells replicate.
1931
Invention of the Electron Microscope
The invention of the electron microscope by Ernst Ruska allowed scientists to observe cellular structures in much greater detail, revolutionizing cell biology.
1953
Watson and Crick's DNA Model
James Watson and Francis Crick proposed the double helix structure of DNA, explaining how genetic information is stored and replicated in cells.
1962
Nobel Prize for DNA Structure Discovery
Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material.
1970
Endosymbiotic Theory
Lynn Margulis proposed the endosymbiotic theory, suggesting that certain organelles, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, originated from free-living bacteria that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells.
1981
Discovery of Ribozymes
Thomas Cech and Sidney Altman discovered ribozymes, RNA molecules with catalytic properties, indicating that RNA could play both genetic and catalytic roles in cells.
2003
Completion of the Human Genome Project
The Human Genome Project was completed, providing a comprehensive map of all human genes and advancing the understanding of cellular genetics and molecular biology.
2012
CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing
The development of CRISPR-Cas9 technology by Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier revolutionized genetic engineering, allowing precise editing of cellular DNA.
2020
Nobel Prize for CRISPR-Cas9
Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their development of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology.
