MATTHIAS SCHLEIDEN: BIOGRAPHY AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS - HISTORY - 2026

Matthias Schleiden was a German botanist and co-founder of cell theory, along with Theodor Schwann and Rudolf Virchow. This theory speaks of the existence of cells in plants.

Schleiden was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1804. Although he studied law, he dedicated his life to botany, his real passion. He was a professor at the University of Jena and at the University of Dorpat.

Schleiden was one of the first scientists of the time to accept Charles Darwin's theories of evolution. Schleiden helped popularize these theories among his colleagues.

His greatest contribution to science was having formulated, together with his compatriot Theodor Schwann, the cellular theory of organisms.

According to his theory, plants are made up of small units called cells; later it would be proved that all living organisms are composed of cells.

Later, his theory of phytogenesis spoke of the importance of the division of cells for the growth of plants. Although his initial approach was incorrect, this theory was the basis for future embryology.

Biography

Matthias Jakob Schleiden was born on April 5, 1804, in Hamburg, Germany. He was the son of a successful city municipal doctor and nephew of botanist Johan Horkel, who encouraged him to pursue his passion for botany.

Schleiden was educated at the University of Jena from 1824 to 1827, and later obtained a doctorate. Then he practiced law in Heidelberg.

However, unhappy with her job decision, she developed a love for botany and turned it into her full-time job. In 1833 he began studying natural science at Göttingen and later transferred to Berlin.

Scheleiden and botany

During these years, the famous naturalists Alexander von Humboldt and Robert Brown also lived in Berlin. Schleiden worked in the laboratory of Johanes P. Müller, where he met Theodor Schwann.

Schleiden preferred to study the structure of plants under the microscope. While he was a professor of botany at the University of Jena in 1838, he wrote "Contributions to our knowledge of phytogenesis", a book in which he declared that all parts of plant organisms were composed of cells.

In this way, Schleiden became the first to formulate as a principle of biology what was hitherto an informal belief. This principle can be compared in importance to atomic theory in chemistry.

Additionally, he worked intensively to produce other notorious publications. In 1839 he obtained his doctorate at Jena.

During this period, his lectures and technical scientific papers covered a wide range of topics; his classes attracted enthusiastic audiences and his numerous articles appeared in highly respected scientific journals.

During 1850 he accepted the nomination as full professor of botany at Jena. He also received many honors from various societies; but despite his success, he decided to leave Jena in 1862. His combative personality probably contributed to his decision.

Schleiden was one of the first German biologists to accept Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. In 1863 he became a professor of botany at the University of Dorpat.

Schleiden also recognized the importance of the cell nucleus, discovered in 1831 by Robert Brown, and felt its connection to cell division.

The scientist concluded that all parts of the plant are made up of cells and that an embryonic plant organism could be created from a single cell.

Latest works

His last publications were studies on the destiny of the Jews in the Middle Ages, and their importance in the transmission of knowledge to the West.

These works, which were also translated and reprinted, created a lot of interest. They also testified to Schleiden's liberal thinking at a time when the first anti-Semitic campaigns were witnessed in Germany's universities.

He died in Frankfurt on June 23, 1881.

The cell theory: its greatest contribution

It is the now universally accepted theory that all organisms are made up of cells. Cells are the basic unit of structure in all organisms, and also the basic unit of reproduction.

The microscope helped discover cells in the 17th century; Thanks to Hooke, the scientific study of cells began. More than a century later, many debates about cells began.

The cell theory was eventually formulated in 1831. It is usually attributed to Schleiden and Schwann, but other scientists like Virchow also made a contribution.

In 1839, Schleiden suggested that every structural part of a plant was made up of cells or by results of cells.

However, this was not Schleiden's original idea. He declared this theory as his own, although Dumortier had announced the same years before.

In 1839 Schwann declares that, along with plants, animals are also composed of cells or the product of cells.

This represented a great advance in the field of biology, since until then very little was known about animal structure compared to that of plants.

From these conclusions about plants and animals, two of the three principles of cell theory were postulated. In 1855, Virchow added the third postulate of the theory: that all cells originate from existing cells.

Principles of the theory

- All living organisms are composed of one or more cells. This is considered controversial because non-cellular life, like viruses, are disputed as a way of life.

- The cell is the unit of structure and basic organization in organisms.

- Cells originate from pre-existing cells.

Modern interpretation

Generally accepted parts of modern cell theory include:

- All living organisms are made up of one or more cells.

- All living cells originate from existing cells by division.

- The cell is the unit of fundamental structure and function in all living organisms.

- The activity of an organism depends on the total activity of the independent cells.

- The flow of energy (metabolism and biochemistry) occurs within cells.

- Cells contain DNA, which is found specifically on the chromosome; and RNA, found in the cell nucleus and cytoplasm.

- Basically all cells are the same, in chemical composition, in organisms of similar species.

References

1. Biography of Matthias Jakob Schleiden. Recovered from thebiography.com
2. Matthias Jakob Schleiden. Recovered from whonamedit.com
3. Cell theory. Recovered from wikipedia.org
4. Matthias Jakob Schleiden. Recovered from upclosed.com
5. What was the major contribution of Matthias Schleiden to microbiology? Recovered from education.seattlepi.com