What experiment did Rudolph Virchow do to discover that cells come from cells?
Rudolf Virchow conducted an experiment known as the "Omnis cellula e cellula" experiment, which translates to "All cells arise from cells." This experiment was based on his observation that every cell in an organism arises from pre-existing cells rather than being spontaneously generated.
To conduct the experiment, Virchow studied cellular division in living tissue. He observed cellular growth, division, and multiplication in a variety of settings, such as during wound healing and in developing embryos. Through careful microscopic observation, he documented cells dividing and giving rise to new cells.
Virchow's observations led him to propose that cells can only arise from pre-existing cells, contradicting previous beliefs in spontaneous generation. He summarized his findings in 1858 by stating, "Where a cell arises, there a cell must have previously existed, just as an animal can only arise from an animal and a plant only from a plant."
It is important to note that Virchow's experiment involved careful observations with the use of microscopes, which allowed him to visualize cell division and reject the notion of spontaneous generation. The experiment he conducted was more of an observational study rather than a controlled laboratory experiment.