(1810–82), German physiologist; full name Theodor Ambrose Hubert Schwann. He showed that animals (as well as plants) are made up of individual cells and that the egg begins life as a single cell. He is best known for discovering the cells forming the myelin sheaths of nerve fibres (Schwann cells).
Definition of Schwann, Theodor in US English:
Schwann, Theodor
proper nounSHwän
(1810–82), German physiologist; full name Theodor Ambrose Hubert Schwann. He showed that animals (as well as plants) are made up of individual cells and that the egg begins life as a single cell. He also discovered the cells that form the myelin sheaths of nerve fibers (Schwann cells).