Question

What are the theories that explains the phenomenon of inheritance?

Answer 1

Historical background of Genetics:

• The science of genetics is one of the most youthful of the major biological sciences.
• It originated in 1900 with the rediscovery of a scientific article originally published in 1866 by an Augustinian monk named Gregor Mendel.
• Paradoxically, the genetics is of great antiquity.
• It dates back to the primitive agriculturists who thousands of years ago in the ancient centers of civilization, domesticated the various plants and animals, we use to this day.
• Though, prehistoric plant and animal breeders have employed the hybridization and selection methods, but undoubtedly they were not even vaguely aware of the principles of genetics.
• Early philosophers, thinkers and workers had forwarded various speculations and theories to explain the phenomenon of inheritance.
• The ideas of early and modern workers can be categorized in the following headings:
  1. Vapour and fluid theories.
  2. Magnetic power theory.
  3. Preformation theories.
  4. Epigenetic theory.
  5 Particulate theories.
  

 

Inheritance:

• Inheritance is defined as the process of transmission of genes from parent to offspring.
• The offspring get all the genetic information from their parents.