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History of Genetics definitions

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  • Domestication
    Early process where humans shaped animal and plant traits by choosing which individuals reproduced, laying groundwork for genetic understanding.
  • Selective Breeding
    Intentional mating of organisms with desired traits to enhance those traits in future generations, predating modern genetics.
  • Artificial Selection
    Human-driven process of propagating specific traits in plants or animals, distinct from natural evolutionary forces.
  • Pangenesis
    Ancient theory proposing that particles from all body parts collect in reproductive organs and transmit traits to offspring.
  • Gemmules
    Hypothetical particles thought to carry information from each body part to reproductive cells, influencing inherited traits.
  • Epigenesis
    Concept that new organisms arise from substances in sex cells, suggesting development starts from undifferentiated material.
  • Preformation
    Historical idea that sex cells contain a fully formed miniature organism, which simply grows during development.
  • Blending Theory
    Disproven belief that offspring traits are a fluid mix of parental traits, like blending paint colors.
  • Genes
    Discrete hereditary particles proposed to control inheritance, later identified as units of information on chromosomes.
  • Alleles
    Different versions of hereditary particles, with each individual carrying two, influencing trait expression.
  • Dominance
    Phenomenon where one hereditary factor masks the effect of another, determining which trait is visible.
  • Chromosomes
    Structures discovered to carry hereditary particles, serving as vehicles for gene transmission during inheritance.
  • Chromosomal Theory of Inheritance
    Proposal that hereditary particles are located on specific cellular structures, explaining how traits are passed on.
  • Genetics
    Field of science focused on understanding how traits are inherited and how hereditary information is transmitted.
  • Inheritance
    Process by which traits and characteristics are passed from one generation to the next through hereditary material.