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Born on this Day Cell Origins
07 December 2014

Cell Origins

All living things are composed of cells and cell products.’ Known as ‘cell theory’, German physiologist, Theodor Schwann, was the co-originator of this term in 1836. Schwann, born on this day in 1810, was an expert in microscopy and examined animal tissue while working on the development of tadpoles. He was the first to establish the basic principle of embryology as he noticed that the ovum [female egg] is a single cell that, after fertilisation, divides and becomes a complete organism. Among many other things, he discovered the digestive enzyme pepsin, realised the organic nature of yeast and coined the term ‘metabolism’. Never shying away from controversy, Schwann challenged the popular theories of the day and continued in his cellular studies until he died. Schwann’s ‘cell theory’ is still at the core of basic biology today and is the one of the first things taught in school science classes.

Written by Rebekah Kells

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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