GEN-3000 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Heredity, Germ Plasm, Pangenesis
Document Summary
Organisms used for genetic research with well-characterized genetics. Easy to grow, had relatively short life cycles, produced many offspring and their genetic analysis was fairly straightforward. Findings can be applied to other organisms: early theories of hereditary transmission. Pangenesis specific particles (gemmules) carry [hereditary] information from body to reproductive organs which are passed to embryo at conception: charles darwin, very early concept. Before there were microscopes and they couldn"t see cells. Acquired (inheritance and acquired characteristics) the greeks proposed that traits acquired in life incorporated into hereditary info and passed on: ex: artist passing on his art skills to child. Preformation inside egg or sperm is a tiny version of an adult (homunculus: they thought there was a tiny human already inside these reproductive cells. Blending offspring are a blend of parents. Schwann and schleiden: cell theory 1839, cells are the basic unit of living, cells arise from preexisting cells, cannot of spontaneous life creation.
