Pangenesis

(pan-Jen' '-es-is). In biology, Darwin's theory of heredity, which supposes the existence of gemmules separated from the body-cells and segregated from the circulation by the reproductive glands. These preformed constituents of all parts of the fully-formed animal or plant become aggregated in the germ, and give rise by a proce of evolution to the new organism. Pangenesis is opposed to the theory of epigenesis, or the origin of the fully formed organism by a gradual proce of differentiation. See Heredity . P., Intracellular, the origin of ultimate vital particles (pangenes, gemmules, biophors) within the cell.