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Who is the father of the cell?

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Hint: The cell is the smallest entity that is capable of independent existence and carrying out all essential functions of life. Thus, the cell forms the basic structural and functional unit of life. Robert Hooke was the first person to observe the cell walls enclosing spaces left by the dead protoplasts. Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe a free-living cell.

Complete answer:
George Emil Palade is considered the father of cell biology. He was the one who first used the electron microscope. With the help of an electron microscope, he discovered the ribosomes and the activity of the secretory proteins. He was also known for the study of cell fractionation. His discovery made the study of the passage of secretory proteins. He and his collaborators provided the first description of the mitochondrial cristae, neuronal synapses, junctional complexes in epithelia, plasmalemmal vesicles, and Weibel-Palade bodies in the endothelium, among others.

Note:
George Palade is among the greatest biologists of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine for his work on the understanding of cell structure and function. He was also known as the most influential person. His work gave the scientist a new opportunity to do more research in protein secretion pathways.