CYTOLOGY: The Meaning of Cytology and Cell Theory - Biology Form 5 & 6

CYTOLOGY: The Meaning of Cytology and Cell Theory - Biology Form 5 & 6, What is cytology? What is the meaning of Cell theory? What are the importance of cytology?

Cytology is the study of cellular structure, functioning, types, behavior, and framework and adaptations.

The study of biological cells is known as cytology. Because all living entities are made up of the basic life-forming unit known as a “cell,” cytology/cell studies is gaining popularity, regardless of whether the system is plant or fungal, animal, bacterial, or viral. 

A person who studies cell biology is known as a cytologist. Cytologists are also known as cell biologists since cytology has been referred to as “cell biology” for a long time.

THE CELL THEORY

The bodies of all living things are made up of cells.

Robert Hooke (1665) was the first person to discover a cell from a plant cork. The cells looked like boxes. Other people who studied the structure of cells are Lamark (1809), Detrochet (1824) and Turpin (1826).

Schleiden (1838) studied the plant cells and emphasized that the cells are organisms and entire animals and plants are aggregations of these organisms arranged according to the definite laws.

In 1839 Schwann, a German botanist stated that ” we have seen that all organisms are composed of essentially like parts namely of cells”.

IMPORTANCE OF CYTOLOGY

Cytology has been very important discipline in the research diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. 

Most of health problems people encounter involve the cell disturbances.

The study examines cell interaction. 

Studying how cells interact or relate to other cells or environments the cytologists can predict problems or examine the dangers to the cell and identity type of infections.

THE MAIN IDEAS OF THE CELL THEORY

1. All organisms are made up of cells.

2. The new cells are derived from the pre-existing cells by the process of cell division (mitotic and meiotic division).

3. All chemical reactions/metabolic activities in the bodies of the organisms take place within the cells.

4. The cells contain hereditary materials which are passed from one generation to another.

5. Given a suitable condition, a cell is capable of independent existence.

CHALLENGES OF THE CELL THEORY

Hereditary materials are also found in viruses, mitochondria and chloroplasts, all of which are not viruses.