Cell: The unit of life
INTRODUCTION:-
Cytology is the branch of biology that deals with the formation, structure, and function of cells.
With introduction of mainy new and powerful tools and techniques for studying living organisms at the cellular and molecular lavel, the expression "cell biology" currently is more commonly used.
DISCOVERY OF CELL
The cell ( Gr., kytos, cell; L. Cella, hollow space) was discovered by an English physicist Robert Hook ( 1635 - 1703 ) in 1665 .
He explained ( under a coarse compound microscope) very thin slices of cork and saw a multitude of tiny pores that he remarked looked like the walled compartment of monk would live in. Because of this association hoke called them "cell".
CELL THEORY
In 1838, a German lawyer turned botanist Matthias schleidan (1804 -1881 ) concluded that all plant were composed of cells . A year later in 1839, a German zoologist theodor schwann
( 1810- 1882 ) Came to the same conclusion about animal.
The combined views of schleidan and schwann led to the formulation of cell Theory .
CELL AS A BASIC UNIT OF LIFE
The cell is the basic unit of life and the structural unit of an organism.
Basic properties of cells .
- Cells are highly complex and organized.
- Cells are capable of self - regulation.
- Cells are able to respond to stimuli.