Module 1: The Cell Theory

Introduction

When you encounter something that you don’t understand one of the first
things you might do is to try to find an explanation for what you see. In science, these
explanations are called theories. One of the fundamental theories in biology is cell
theory. This theory is one of the foundational tenets of biology. The development of
this theory occurred largely as a result of advancements in the field of microscopy.

From your Grade 7 Biology, cell was introduced as one of the levels of
organization of every living thing. You have learned that the cell makes up an organism.
The discovery of the cell and development of the cell theory was never mentioned from
your grade 7 to grade 10 Life Science.

This lesson will introduce to you the cell theory postulates, including the timeline
and the scientists behind the development of the cell theory. The activities in this
module will help you to further understand the three components of the cell theory and
its relevance in the field of biological science.

After going through this lesson, you are expected to:

Explain the postulates of the cell theory (STEM_BIO11/12-Ia-c-1)

 Try this!

Activity 1: The Wacky History of the Cell Theory

Directions: Below are the names of the scientists who made great contributions to the
development of the cell theory. Write their corresponding significant contribution in the
development of the cell theory in a separate sheet of paper.

Name of the scientists Significant Contribution

Zacharias Janssen (1590)

Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1653)

Robert Hooke (1665)

Matthias Schleiden (1838)

Theodor Schwann (1839)

Rudolf Virchow (1855)

He concluded that: “Where a cell exists, there must have been a pre-existing
cell” and credited for developing the third tenet of the cell theory.

He used light microscope to look at thin slices of plant tissue (cork) and saw tiny
chambers and coined the term ‘cell’

First to see living microscopic organisms (in pond water) and termed these
microorganisms ‘animalcules’

He invented the first compound microscope

He concluded that: “All living plants are made of cells” and credited for
developing first the two tenets of cell theory (with Schwann)

He concluded that: “All living animals are made of cells” and credited for
developing the first two tenets of cell theory (with Schleiden)
 Think Ahead

The Cell Theory Postulates

In the late 1500s, spectacle maker from the Netherlands, named Zacharias
Janssen, invented the microscope. In 1600s, Anton van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch
shopkeeper who had great skills in crafting lenses observed the movements of
protists (a type of single-celled organism) and sperm, which he collectively termed
“animalcules”. In a 1665, publication called Micrographia, experimental scientist
Robert Hooke coined the term “cellulae” which was shortened to “cell” for the box-
like structures he observed when viewing cork tissue through a lens. By the late
1830s, botanist Matthias Schleiden and zoologist Theodor Schwann were studying
tissues and proposed the first postulates of the cell theory. Rudolf Virchow later made
important contributions to this theory. With further advanced studies, the unified
cell theory has been presented.

The generally accepted portions of the modern Cell Theory are as follows:
1. The cell is the basic unit of life.
2. All organisms are made up of one or more cells.
3. All cells come from pre-existing cells.

The expanded version of the cell theory can also include:

• Cells carry genetic material passed to daughter cells during cellular division
• All cells are essentially the same in chemical composition
• Energy flow (metabolism and biochemistry) occurs within cells

If internet is available, you can visit this video link for additional information
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk3vlhz1b6k
 Read and Ponder

Activity 2: The Cell Theory Challenge!

You will arrange the following jumbled words to come up with the three basic
components of the cell theory. Write also a short explanation based from your
understanding about the statements that you have arranged. Do it in a separate sheet
of paper.

1. Organisms of cells are all more living composed or one

Explanation:

2. Of basic cell the is unit life

Explanation:

3. Come cells pre-existing all from cells

Explanation:
 See if you can do this

At this point, you are familiar already with the scientists and their significant
contribution on the development of the cell theory and you know already the three
basic components of the cell theory. The development of the cell theory took almost
three centuries. Very little advancements were made up to mid-nineteenth century.
It was probably due to the widely accepted, traditional belief on the theory of
spontaneous generation. This theory only refuted when Louis Pasteur’s experiment
disproved this theory.

For this activity, you are going to show your deeper understanding on the three basic
components/postulates of the Cell Theory by explaining why the theory of
spontaneous generation was considered as a plausible explanation on how life can
originate from an organic matter. Your answer will be graded using the attached
rubric.

What you need

An article or copy/presentation of spontaneous generation theory, If internet

is available, you can have an online research for additional information. If not, an
attached article below is provided.
What you have to do

1. Read and understand the article.

2. Using your knowledge in cell theory as a baseline, make a short essay in a
separate sheet if paper why spontaneous generation theories considered as
plausible/false explanation on how life started on earth.
What is Spontaneous Generation?

Have you ever noticed that after it rains you see a lot more worms? We now know
that worms tend to stay underground because their skin needs to be moist so they
can breathe. When it rains, the ground is covered in water, so they are free to move
about. However, people used to believe that worms, rather than hatching from the
eggs of other worms, were created when dirt and water made mud.
This is the idea of spontaneous generation, an obsolete theory that states that living
organisms can originate from inanimate objects. Other common examples of
spontaneous generation were that dust creates fleas, maggots arise from rotting
meat, and bread or wheat left in a dark corner produces mice.
Although the idea that you can create scorpions by placing basil between two bricks and
leaving them in the sun seems ridiculous to us now, the theory of spontaneous
generation was hotly debated for hundreds of years. During this time, many experiments
were conducted in both prove and disprove the theory.
Your work will be graded using this rubric:
Criteria Excellent (5-4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1-0)
Content/ It has a specific The central Unable to find Had no
Development central idea idea is vague, specific central idea
that is clearly sketchy and supporting or
stated, concrete non-supportive details and supporting
details and to the topic, some details
show lacks focus information is
originality. erroneous
organization Logical and Ideas do not It lacks Ideas are
of ideas well-structured, logically follow organization vague, no
Critical thinking each other and continuity particular
skills are flow was
evident followed
Mechanics Written works Written work is Written works Written
have no errors relatively free have several works have
in sentence from errors errors serious and
structure, persistent
spelling, errors
punctuation
and grammar

References

Printed Materials:

Department of Education. Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR). (2017) First

Edition. Chapter 2: Cellular structure General Biology 1(p.51), Pasig City, Philippines.

Rea, Maria Angelica D. et.al. (2017) First Edition. General Biology 1(pp 4-7),
Manila, Philippines: Rex Bookstore, Inc.

Website:

Cell theory | Structure of a cell | Biology | Khan Academy. Youtube.com. Retrieved

July 21, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk3vlhz1b6k

Cell Theory History.(n.d) BioNinja website. Retrieved July 22, 2020 from
https://ib.bioninja.com.au/standard-level/topic-1-cell-biology/11
introduction-to-cells/cell-theory-history.html

Essay Assessment Rubrics. Slideshare. Retrieved July 22, 2020 from

https://www.slideshare.net/pjlynch/essay-assessment-rubric

Spontaneous Generation Theory.(N.d) Study.com website: Retrieved July 22, 2020

from https://study.com/academy/lesson/spontaneous-generation
definition-theory-examples.html
Disclaimer:

This learning resource contains copyrighted materials. The use of which has not been specifically authorized by
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material is not intended for uploading nor for commercial use but purely for educational purposes and for the
utilization of WMSU SHS students.