Question

The term protoplasm was coined by
(A) Virchow
(B) Purkinje
(C) Dujardin
(D) Kollinker

Answer 1

The protoplasm is considered as the living portion of the cell enclosed by plasma membrane. There were many discrepancies while scientists were trying to define protoplasm. Nowadays, protoplasm means the cytoplasm and nucleus of the cell.

Complete answer:
Protoplasm is a colourless substance found inside a cell in either gel state or liquid like state. They are composed of a mix of organic and inorganic substances like monosaccharides, water, ions, amino acids as well as polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins and lipids. In animal/eukaryotic cells, protoplasm is named depending on its region. The protoplasm around the nucleus is called cytoplasm and inside the nucleus is called nucleoplasm. The word ‘protoplasm’ has its origin from Greek, where ‘proto’ means first and ‘plasma’ for things formed. It was coined by J.E. Purkinje in 1846 to address the material which makes up an animal embryo. Later, many scientists redefined it as “a substance within a plant cell” and “physical basis of life”.

Thus, the term protoplasm was coined by (B) Purkinje.

Note: J.E. Purkinje is a Czech physiologist and anatomist. He has identified a number of organs or parts of an organism, which were named after him. Some of the examples for it are:

Purkinje cells – a class of large neurons with branched dendrites found in cerebellum.
Purkinje fibers – Found in the inner ventricular region of the heart, conducts impulse from atrioventricular nodes to other ventricles in the heart.
Purkinje images – the objects reflected from the structures in the eyes.
Purkinje shift – the alteration in the brightness of blue and red when light intensity reduces towards dawn.
He coined the terms protoplasm, plasma (liquid in blood that holds all the blood cells), microtome (a tool to make thin slices of tissue for microscopic examination)
He discovered sweat glands and recognised nine principle configuration groups of fingerprints.