Who coined the phrase Omnis cellula e cellula and when?

The Latin phrase “Omnis cellula e cellula” means “every cell comes from a pre-existing cell.” It was coined by Rudolf Virchow, a German physician and biologist, in 1855. Virchow introduced this concept while studying cell pathology — the study of diseases at the cellular level. Before Virchow, scientists like Schleiden and Schwann (1838–1839) had proposed the cell theory, which stated that all living organisms are made up of cells and that cells are the basic structural and functional units of life.

However, they believed that cells could arise spontaneously from non-cellular material, a view influenced by the idea of spontaneous generation. Virchow’s phrase corrected this misconception. 

He argued, based on microscopic studies of dividing cells, that new cells originate only by the division of existing cells, not by spontaneous formation. This idea became a cornerstone of modern biology and medicine, emphasizing that all growth, development, and even disease result from cellular activity. Virchow’s contribution helped shift the focus of biology toward understanding life and health at the cellular level — forming the foundation for modern cytology and pathology.