| Structure / Model | Scientist(s) | Year | Details |
| Cell Membrane | Carl Nageli & C. Cramer | 1885 | The term “cell membrane” was introduced by Carl Nageli and C. Cramer in 1885. |
| Plasma Membrane | Wilhelm Pfeffer | — | The term “plasma membrane” was given by Wilhelm Pfeffer. |
| Fluid Mosaic Model | S. J. Singer & Garth Nicolson | 1972 | The currently accepted model. It describes the cell membrane as a fluid lipid bilayer with proteins floating in it, forming a mosaic pattern. |
| Nucleus | Robert Brown | 1831 | The nucleus was discovered by Robert Brown in 1831. |
| Nucleolus | Felice Fontana | 1874 | The nucleolus was first recognized by Felice Fontana in 1874. |
| Mitochondria | Albert von Kolliker, Richard Altmann & Carl Benda | 1850 / 1880 | Mitochondria were first observed by Albert von Kolliker in 1850 (plants) and later by Richard Altmann in 1880 (animals); the term “mitochondria” was coined by Carl Benda. |
| Golgi Apparatus | Camillo Golgi | 1898 | The Golgi apparatus was discovered by Camillo Golgi in 1898 in the nerve cells of barn owl and cat. |
| Centrosome | Theodor Boveri | 1888 | The centrosome was discovered by Theodor Boveri in 1888 and is mainly found in animal cells. |
| Ribosomes | George Emil Palade | 1953 | Ribosomes were first observed as dense particles under an electron microscope by George Emil Palade in 1953. |
| Lysosomes | Christian de Duve | 1955 | Lysosomes were discovered by Christian de Duve in 1955. |
