While many scientists contributed to the understanding of plant cell structure, Robert Hooke is generally credited with being the first to observe and describe cell walls in 1665.

He used a microscope to examine thin slices of cork and observed small, box-like compartments he named "cells." While he wasn't looking at living cells, his observations laid the foundation for later studies that would reveal the presence of cell walls in plant cells.

Here's why Hooke's work was significant:

* First observation: Hooke was the first to observe and describe the cell wall, although he didn't understand its function or significance.

* Foundation for future work: His observations paved the way for future scientists like Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann to further study cell structure and develop the cell theory.

While Hooke didn't specifically claim that plant cells were different from animal cells due to the presence of a wall, his work was crucial in establishing the key differences between these two types of cells.