Theodor+Schwann

Theodor Schwann

Date of Birth: December 7th, 1810 Date of Death: January 11th, 1882 Died at the Age of 71

**When did he live?**

Theodor Schwann lived in the 19th century (the 1800's).

While there is no record of his K-12 education, we do know that he attended Jesuit’ College at Cologne, the University of Bonn, and finally the University of Würzburg where he jump-started his medical studies. He also received a degree from the University of Berlin in 1834.
 * What type of Education did he receive ** **?**


 * Where did he live when he was conducting his research ? **

While living in Louvain, Belgium as a professor of anatomy he released a book on his findings entitled : //Microscopical Researches into the Accordance in the Structure and Growth of Animals and Plants// in which he entered the animal kingdom into cell theory. This work was based on the work of German botanist Matthias Jakob Schleiden.

What was his major accomplishment in regards to our understanding of cells?
In 1838, Schwann became aware of the research of Matthias Schleiden, who discovered cells in the plants he was studying. He was interested to see if the same was true for animals, so he used his microscope to examine animal tissue and he found cells and verified their existence not only in plants but in animals. Schwann not only confirmed cell theory, he also proposed the three generalizations of cells go in the following order: animals and plants consist of cells and secretion of cells. These cells have independent lives. Finally, the cells are subject to the lives of the host. He also placed cells in two individual categories “those which relate to the combination of the molecules to form a cell”, and “those which result from chemical changes either in the component particles of the cell itself or in the surrounding “cytoblastema” (modern cytoplasm). These are called metabolic phenomena”.

Did he receive credit for his accomplishments during his life time?
At the time of his discoveries he presented his new findings to the Academy of Science in Paris, France where many scientist heard this information for the first time. After the presentation the scientific community accepted his findings unusually fast and it became practically fact. Though at the same time the book with his findings had quite a few factual errors.

What type of microscope did he use? [[image:epiehonorsbiology/lens-ocular-8623_1.gif width="260" height="251" align="right" caption="Two lens compound microscope "]]
Theodor Schwann used a compound microscope with two lenses in his study of animal cells.

What other scientific accomplishments did he make?
He coined the term “metabolism” which is “the sum total of chemical processes by which energy occurs in living things." He also discovered pepsin in 1835 while studying the digestive process and he realized there was a substance which aided in the digestion of food. Schwann identified the role of microorganisms in alcohol fermentation and putrefaction. The way he did this was through a variety of fermentation experiments and by 1836 he had enough evidence to prove the role of yeast is required in the conversion of sugar alcohol during fermentation rather than a through the process of chemical process of sugar oxidation. There was also his disproving of spontaneous generation through an experiment in which he used chicken broth and sterilized it by boiling it, and he heated the air above the flask. After the sterilization of the broth microbes did not grow, thus disproving abiogenesis in his mind. Finally, he made a massive contribution to histology because of his division of cells and tissues into five groups, separate independent cells, compacted independent cells, cells whose walls have coalesced, elongated cells which have formed fibers, and cells formed by the fusion of walls and cavities.

Did he receive an awards or honors?
The only award that he received during his lifetime was the Copley award in 1845.

Write your analogy based upon one of the contributions he made to the cell theory.
Theodor Schwann: Cell Theory

Christopher Columbus: Discovering the Americas



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