Unit 1: Cells

1.1. Cell Theory

Warm Up
Guide Questions
1. What experimental setup was used in the activity that can help in drawing
conclusions? It was Francesco Redi’s experiment that utilized maggots and jars with
rotten meat that helps in drawing conclusions about spontaneous generation.
2. In Redi’s experiment, what could have been the conclusion if the jars with fresh meat
were not covered? It could have been concluded that the maggots arose from the
rotting meat.
3. How do you think Redi’s experiment helped disprove the theory that living forms can
arise from nonliving matter? It proved that the meat was not able to form the
maggots spontaneously, but instead, they came from the external environment of
the jar, particularly from the preexisting parent flies.

Knowledge Check Question

1. Which among the three principles of the cell theory can be practically applied in
healthcare by promoting the use of sterilization and disinfection? Why do you think
so? The principle of “cell as a product of preexisting cells” can be applied in
healthcare. Some bacterial species are pathogenic, which means they can cause
different diseases to other living organisms such as humans, animals, and plants.
Because of this property, harmful bacteria can multiply rapidly in a certain
environment if proper sanitation and disinfection will not be observed. To avoid
diseases from spreading, it is important to practice proper sanitation and
disinfection at all times.

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Unit 1: Cells
Check Your Understanding

A. Compare and contrast the theory of spontaneous generation from

the principles of cell theory. Create a Venn diagram to show their
similarities and differences.

B. Below are five of the contributions to the development of cell

theory. Identify the scientist described in each of the following
items:

1. He was the first to observe cells under the microscope. Robert Hooke
2. His experiment disproved the spontaneous generation theory. Francesco Redi
3. He proposed that the cell is the basic unit of plants and animals. Matthias
Schleiden
4. He stated in the cell theory that all organisms are made up of cells. Theodor
Schwann
5. He proposed the idea in the cell theory that cells come from preexisting cells.
Rudolf Virchow

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Unit 1: Cells
C. Arrange the following scientists according to their contribution to the
timeline of the development of the cell theory. Thereafter, provide a
gist of their contribution.

Proponent Contribution

1. Zacharias Janssen He developed the first microscope.

He was known for his experiment that disproved the

2. Francesco Redi
spontaneous generation theory.

3. Robert Brown He discovered the nucleus of the cell.

4. Matthias Schleiden He proposed that the cell is the basic unit of life.

5. Rudolf Virchow He proposed that cells come from preexisting cells.

D. Determine whether each of the following statements is true or

false. Thereafter, provide a brief justification for your answer.

1. The surface area to volume ratio favors cells that are small in size. True; the small
size cells impart a high surface area to volume ratio. This is because the larger the
surface area, the more adequate and efficient it is for the cell to obtain enough
nutrients and export metabolic wastes.
2. In Redi’s experiment, the controlled variables which included the meat in the jar
that was left open was also important to disprove the spontaneous generation
theory. True; the controlled setup would be the basis of the experimental setup if
the independent variable is effective. For the case of Redi’s experiment, the
independent variable was the presence of barrier (net and seal) on the jar to see if
maggots will still appear on the rotten meat.
3. Yeast is a unicellular organism that can reproduce through binary fission, however,
it does not conform to the third principle of the cell theory. False; just like bacterial
cells, yeast is a unicellular organism that can reproduce through the multiplication
of a parent cell. Therefore, it conforms to the third principle of the cell theory which
states that cells come preexisting cells.
4. A bacterium is non-living because it is just unicellular. False; even if a bacterium is

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Unit 1: Cells
unicellular, it still exhibits the attributes of life. The presence of at least one living
cell in an organism indicates that life is present.
5. The invention of simple and practical microscopes made it possible for the cell to
be discovered. True; without the invention of simple and practical microscopes, it
would not be possible for the cell to be observed and discovered since it cannot be
seen by the naked eye.

Challenge Yourself
Read each item carefully. Answer the questions that follow.

1. Lina, a teenager, observed one morning, as she looked at the mirror that her face
has a new pimple. She wondered how she got another pimple when she already
pricked it a few days ago. What principle of the cell theory is related to this? It is
related to the third principle, which states that cells come from preexisting cells.
Pimples result from a bacterial infection of the skin. The multiplication of bacteria
itself refers to the third principle of cell theory.
2. Anton Van Leeuwenhoek observed under the microscope a drop of water and saw
moving unicellular microorganisms. How can he prove that these are also living
organisms since they cannot be seen by the naked eye? The discovery by Anton Van
Leeuwenhoek of the microbial world paved the way for a deeper understanding of
microscopic life. Life is still present in microorganisms because of the presence of at
least one living cell itself.
3. What aspect of Francesco Redi’s experiment proved that life cannot spontaneously
arise from an inanimate object such as rotten meat? In the experiments of Francesco
Redi, the jar with a sealed cover that did not produce any maggots proved that life is
not possible to be created spontaneously from any inanimate entity.
4. A virus can easily manipulate various cellular activities once it has already invaded
the host cell. Does this mean that a virus is a living organism because it can enter a
cell, the fundamental unit of life? A virus is not a living organism. Manipulating a cell
does not imply that the virus already owns the cell. It needs to hijack a cell for it to
reproduce and be considered alive.
5. Determine a real-life scenario that demonstrates one of the principles of cell theory.
Provide a brief explanation as to its relationship with the principle of cell theory
involved. After being wounded, Emily observed that her skin eventually healed after a

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Unit 1: Cells
few days. A scar is the only visible thing on her skin replacing the wound. This real-life
scenario demonstrates that cells come from preexisting cells. The skin tissue
regenerates after being wounded because the cells in it multiply to replace the
damaged ones.

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