Who was the first person to saw and describe a living cell?

Anton van Leeuwenhoek is credited with being the first person to observe and describe living cells. In the late 17th century, he developed improvements to the microscope, which allowed him to see tiny organisms in samples from water, dental plaque, and other sources. His meticulous observations led him to report his findings to the Royal Society of London in 1673, where he famously described single-celled organisms, which he called "animalcules." This pioneering work laid the foundation for microbiology and demonstrated that life could exist at a microscopic level, fundamentally changing the understanding of biology at that time.

In contrast, Robert Hooke is known for his work with cork in 1665, where he coined the term "cell" after observing the empty cell walls of plant tissue. While he was instrumental in cell theory, Hooke’s observations were limited to non-living structures. Rudolf Virchow contributed later to the understanding of cells, particularly in the idea that all cells arise from pre-existing cells, while Louis Pasteur was crucial in demonstrating the role of microorganisms in fermentation and disease. However, it was Leeuwenhoek’s early work that first identified and described living cells.