Question

The term protoplasm was coined by

• A. Virchow
• B. Dujardin
• C. Purkinje
• D. Kollinker

Answer 1

The correct option is C

Purkinje

The correct answer is option C.

Explanation of the correct answer:

1. The word ‘protoplasm’ has its origin in Greek, where ‘proto’ means first and ‘plasma’ for things formed.
2. The protoplasm is a colorless substance that can be either present in a gel-state or liquid state in a cell.
3. It is mainly composed of a mix of organic and inorganic substances like monosaccharides, water, ions, amino acids as well as polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids.
4. It is termed cytoplasm when present around the nucleus, and when present inside the nucleus, it is termed nucleoplasm.
5. J.E. Purkinje is a Czech anatomist and physiologist.
6. He popularized the words protoplasm, plasma (the liquid in the blood that contains all of the blood cells), and microtome (a tool to make thin slices of tissue for microscopic examination)

Explanation of the incorrect options:

Option A:

1. Rudolph Virchow was a physician, anthropologist, and politician from Germany.
2. He was the one who defined how new cells are generated from pre-existing cells (Omnis cellula -e cellular).
3. He amended Schleiden and Schwann's cell theory.

Option B:

1. Dujardin was a French biologist and cytologist well recognized for his work on protozoans and invertebrates taxonomy.
2. Dujardin discovered protoplasm in 1835 and named it "sarcode," but J.E. Purkinje created the word protoplasm in 1839.

Option D:

1. In 1857, Albert von Kolliker discovered mitochondria (the cell's powerhouse).
2. Richard Altman created the word bio blast in 1886, while Carl Benda coined the term mitochondria in 1898.

Final answer: The term protoplasm was coined by Purkinje.