The Biological Problem of To-day: Preformation Or Epigenesis?: The Basis of a Theory of Organic DevelopmentHertwig, Oscar
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The Biological Problem of To-day: Preformation Or Epigenesis?: The Basis of a Theory of Organic Development
Hertwig, Oscar
Developmental biology; Embryology; Genetics
[9] Notwithstanding the objections raised by Bergh, Verworn, and Haacke, I
abide by the supposition that the nucleus of reproductive cells contains
the hereditary mass or germinal material. My reasons may be found in my
text-book on _The Cell_ (English edit., p. 274). Briefly they are: 1. The
equivalence of the male and female hereditary masses. 2. The equal
distribution of the growing nuclear mass of the primary egg-cell among the
daughter-cells that, arising from it, build up the organism. 3. The
preservation of a constancy of bulk of the hereditary mass when
fertilization occurs. 4. The isotropism of protoplasm. Following Pflüger, I
mean by isotropism that the protoplasm of the egg does not contain local
areas for the formation of different organs; but that, according to the
conditions, any part of the protoplasm may be employed in the formation of
any organ. Isotropism is merely the negation of His' doctrine of the
presence of local areas for definite organs, and without losing its
meaning, is compatible with the fact that many eggs have their poles
different, and that others have a bilateral symmetry which determines the
plane of the first division. 5. The fact that the first stages of many
embryonic developments consist in the multiplication of the nuclear
material and its distribution in the yolk, following which the yolk-mass
cleaves into cells.
[10] English edition, p. 32.
[11] English edition, p. 34.
[12] In this section upon heteromorphosis I rely upon the following
treatises, which have appeared recently. Loeb, _Untersuchungen zur
physiologischen Morphologie der Thiere. Organbildung und Wachsthum_. Heft,
1 and 2 (1891-1892). H. de Vries, _Intracellulare Pangenesis_ (1889). H.
Driesch, _Entwicklungsmechamische Studien_, i.-vi.; _Zeitschrift f.
wissenschaft, Zool._, vol. liii.-lv. The same, _Zur Theorie der thierischen
Formbildung._ _Biol. Centralblatt_, vol. xiii., 1893. Chabry, _Contribution
à l'embryologie normale et tératologique des Ascidies simples. Jour. de
l'Anat. et de Physiol._ (1887). Wilson, _Amphioxus and the Mosaic Theory.
Journal of Morph._ (1893). See also _Anatomischer Anzeiger_ (1892).
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