Theodore Schwann

Theodor Schwann (December 7, 1810 in Neuss, Prussia - January 11, 1882, in Cologne) was a German physiologist, histologist and cytologist. already on Wikipedia as Theodore_Schwann. ... already on Wikipedia as Theodore_Schwann. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Neuss is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Cologne (disambiguation). ... Physiology (in Greek physis = nature and logos = word) is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. ... Histology is the microscopic study of tissues—their formation, structure and function. ... Cytology (also known as Cell biology) is the scientific study of cells. ...

Among his many contributions to biology there was the development of cell theory, the discovery of Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, the discovery and study of pepsin, the discovery of the organic nature of yeast and the invention of the term metabolism. Biology studies the variety of life (clockwise from top-left) E. coli, tree fern, gazelle, Goliath beetle Biology (from Greek: βίος, bio, life; and λόγος, logos, knowledge), also referred to as the biological sciences, is the study of living organisms utilizing the scientific method. ... A prokaryote, a simple cell Cell theory refers to the idea that cells are the basic unit of structure of all living things. ... Named after the German physiologist Theodor Schwann, Schwann cells are a variety of neuroglia that mainly provide myelin insulation to axons in the peripheral nervous system of jawed vertebrates. ... The Peripheral nervous system resides or extends outside the CNS central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to serve the limbs and organs. ... Pepsin is a digestive protease (EC 3. ... Typical divisions Ascomycota (sac fungi) Saccharomycotina (true yeasts) Taphrinomycotina Schizosaccharomycetes (fission yeasts) Basidiomycota (club fungi) Urediniomycetes Sporidiales Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with approximately 1,500 species described. ... Structure of the coenzyme adenosine triphosphate, a central intermediate in energy metabolism. ...

Histology

Theodor Schwann was born on December 7, 1809. His father was a goldsmith, later a printer. Schwann studied at the Jesuits College in Cologne, and then at Bonn, where he met J. P. Müller.

It was during the four years spent under the influence of J. P. Müller at Berlin that all Schwann's really valuable work was done. Müller was at this time preparing his great book on physiology, and Schwann assisted him in the experimental work required. Schwann's attention was directed to the nervous and muscular tissues. Besides making such histological discoveries as that of the envelope of the nerve fibers which now bears his name, he initiated those researches in muscular contractility since so elaborately worked out by Du Bois-Reymond and others. Johannes Peter Müller (July 14, 1801, Koblenz – April 28, 1858, Berlin), was a German physiologist, comparative anatomist, and ichthyologist not only known for his discoveries but also for his ability to synthesize knowledge. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Human Nervous System. ... For other uses of Muscles, see Muscles (disambiguation). ... A thin section of lung tissue stained with hematoxylin and eosin. ... An axon, or nerve fiber, is a long slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, which conducts electrical impulses away from the neurons cell body or soma. ... Emil du Bois-Reymond. ...

Vitalism and Germ theory

Schwann was thus the first of Müller's pupils who broke with the traditional vitalism and worked towards a physico-chemical explanation of life. Vitalism is the doctrine that vital forces are active in living organisms, so that life cannot be explained solely by mechanism. ... For other uses, see Life (disambiguation). ...

Müller also directed Schwann's attention to the process of digestion, which Schwann showed in 1837 to depend essentially on the presence of a ferment he called pepsin. Schwann also examined the question of spontaneous generation, which led to its eventual disproof. In the course of his experiments, he discovered the organic nature of yeast. In fact the whole germ theory of Pasteur, as well as its antiseptic applications by Lister, can be traced to Schwann's influence. For the industrial process, see anaerobic digestion. ... For other uses, see Fermentation. ... Pepsin is a digestive protease (EC 3. ... Abiogenesis, in its most general sense, is the hypothetical generation of life from non-living matter. ... Typical divisions Ascomycota (sac fungi) Saccharomycotina (true yeasts) Taphrinomycotina Schizosaccharomycetes (fission yeasts) Basidiomycota (club fungi) Urediniomycetes Sporidiales Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with approximately 1,500 species described. ... The germ theory of disease states that many diseases are caused by microorganisms, and that microorganisms grow by reproduction, rather than being spontaneously generated. ... Louis Pasteur (December 27, 1822 – September 28, 1895) was a French chemist best known for his remarkable breakthroughs in microbiology. ... An antiseptic solution of Povidone-iodine applied to an abrasion Antiseptics (Greek αντί, against, and σηπτικός, putrefactive) are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction. ... Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister (April 5, 1827-February 10, 1912) was a famous British surgeon who promoted the idea of sterile surgery while working at the Glasgow Infirmary. ...

Cell theory

Once, when Schwann was dining with Schleiden (who in 1837 had viewed and stated that new plant cells formed from the nuclei of old plant cells) in 1839, the conversation turned on the nuclei of plants and animal cells. Schwann remembered seeing similar structures in the cells of the notochord (as had been shown by Müller) and instantly realized the importance of connecting the two phenomena. The resemblance was confirmed without delay by both observers, and the results soon appeared in his famous Microscopic Investigations on the Accordance in the Structure and Growth of Plants and Animals [scanned source](Berlin, 1839; trans. Sydenham Society, 1847). Thus cell theory was definitely constituted. In the course of his verification of cell theory, in which Schwann traversed the whole field of histology, he proved the cellular origin and development of the most highly differentiated tissues including nails, feathers, and tooth enamel. Die Entwickelung der Meduse (The Development of the Medusas), in Schleidens Das Meer Matthias Jakob Schleiden (April 5, 1804 - June 23, 1881) was a German botanist and co-founder of cell theory. ... HeLa cells stained for DNA with the Blue Hoechst dye. ... Drawing of the structure of cork as it appeared under the microscope to Robert Hooke from Micrographia which is the origin of the word cell being used to describe the smallest unit of a living organism Cells in culture, stained for keratin (red) and DNA (green) The cell is the... The notochord is a flexible, rod-shaped body found in embryos of all chordates. ... A prokaryote, a simple cell Cell theory refers to the idea that cells are the basic unit of structure of all living things. ... For other uses, see Nail. ... Two feathers Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. ... Tooth enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body , and with dentin, cementum, and dental pulp is one of the four major parts of the tooth. ...

His generalization became the foundation of modern histology, and in the hands of Rudolf Virchow (whose cellular pathology was an inevitable deduction from Schwann) afforded the means of placing modern pathology on a truly scientific basis. Dr. R.L.K. Virchow Rudolf Ludwig Karl Virchow (October 13, 1821, Schivelbein (Pomerania) - September 5, 1902, Berlin) was a German doctor, anthropologist, public health activist, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist and politician. ... Cellular pathology is the branch of general pathology studying the cellular basis of disease. ... A renal cell carcinoma (chromophobe type) viewed on a hematoxylin & eosin stained slide Pathologist redirects here. ...

See also

• Matthias Schlieden
• Rudolph Virchow

Die Entwickelung der Meduse (The Development of the Medusas), in Schleidens Das Meer Matthias Jakob Schleiden (April 5, 1804 - June 23, 1881) was a German botanist and co-founder of cell theory. ... Dr. R.L.K. Virchow Rudolf Ludwig Karl Virchow (October 13, 1821, in Schivelbein, Pomerania - September 5, 1902, in Berlin) was a German doctor, pathologist, prehistorian, biologist, and politician. ...

External links

• Short biography and bibliography in the Virtual Laboratory of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science