The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Matthias Schleiden was first to recognize the importance of cells as fundamental units of life. Schleiden made other accurate observations about plant cells and cell activity and his conclusions marked one of the important landmarks in the rise of modern cytology. In 1839, Theodor Schwann would expand Schleiden's cell theory to include the animal world, establishing cell theory as the fundamental concept in biology. Schwann (first to articulate that cells--one type of which are now known as Schwann cells--comprise the nerve sheath) and Schleiden published an 1839 text, Microscopical Researches, that proved a pivotal and influential argument for the advancement of cell theory.
Schleiden described Robert Brown's 1832 discovery of the cell nucleus (which he renamed cytoblast). Schleiden argued that the cell nucleus must somehow be connected with cell division, but he mistakenly asserted that new cells erupted from the nuclear surface like blisters.
Schleiden did not originally pursue his interest in botany; instead, he studied law at Heidelberg University from 1824 to 1827. After graduation, Schleiden became a barrister in Hamburg, Germany, but he soon grew dissatisfied with his legal practice.. He abandoned the profession altogether in 1831 and returned to college to pursue his real interests--botany and medicine. After graduation, Schleiden became professor of botany at Jena University. Instead of spending his time classifying plants, however, he preferred to observe their development using the microscope because he argued that was the only way plants could be studied. By 1838, his methods led him to propose the cell theory for plants.
Schleiden's approach to educating students was very different and his social, political, and philosophical views often put him at odds with other scientists. However, his great abilities and his introduction of improved techniques earned him the title "reformer of scientific botany."