What did Anton Van Leeuwenhoek see through his microscope? He was surprised to find what looked like tiny animals. He named these animals “animalcules”.
Years later, as microscopes improved, other biologists were able to continue the work of Hooke and Leeuwenhoek, learning more about cells. German Biologist Matthias Schleiden discovered that every part of a plant he looked at was made of cells. Another German scientist by the name of Theodor Schwann discovered that every part of an animal he looked at through a microscope was made of cells.
Today scientists have developed what we call the Cell Theory. This theory states the following:
All living things are made of cells.
Cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things.
