Postulates of Cell Theory by Schleiden and Schwann

Table of Contents

• History of Cell Theory
• Postulates of Cell Theory
• More Topics

History of Cell Theory

The proposal of cell theory was initially associated with Henri Dutrochet. The formal Cell Theory was later proposed by Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann.

Rudolf Virchow later stated that all new cells arise from pre-existing cells, summarized by the phrase Omnis Cellula e Cellula. This concept became known as the theory of cell lineage.

Postulates of Cell Theory Diagram

Postulates of Cell Theory

1. All living organisms are composed of cells and their products.
2. Each cell consists of protoplasm containing a nucleus and is surrounded by a plasma membrane, with or without a cell wall.
3. All cells are fundamentally similar in their chemical composition and physiological activities.
4. The activities of an organism are the sum of the activities and interactions of its constituent cells.
5. New cells arise from pre-existing cells through cell division.
6. The cell is the basic structural, functional and biological unit of life.

More Topics

• Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells – Detailed Summary
• Postulates of Cell Theory by Schleiden and Schwann