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Hans and Zacharias Janssen
Zacharias invented the compound microscope in 1595. This is an important contribution to cell theory because scientists needed the tool to start in the field of microbiology. But some believe that his father Hans had invented it before Zacharias. -
Robert Hooke
He is the first person to use the word cell to describe the biological unit that makes up organisms. His contribution to cell theory was the word "cell" and his discovery of cells in a piece of cork. -
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek saw people using the original microscope and thought that it was to big and to complex, so he took it into his own hands and decided to make a compact version of it. It was small enough to carry in his pocket and take anywhere. -
Matthias Schleiden
Concluded that all plants are made up of cells. His conclusions helped scientists come to a more unified understanding of part one of cell theory which states "all living things are made up of cells." -
Theodor Schwan
He created part two of cell theory which states cells are the basic units of structure and function in an organism. His conclusion was the same as Schleiden's in that "all plants are made up of cells," however he concluded the same for animals. -
Rudolf Virchow
Concluded that cells come from the reproduction of other cells, which is part three of Cell Theory. This is what he contributed to Cell Theory: That cells come from the reproduction of other cells. -
Robert Remak
He was the first scientist that discovered the origin of the cell was by division of already pre-existing cells, as well as other key discoveries to the cell theory.
