Definition
noun, plural: gemmules
(botany) A small gemma; a bud produced by gemmation.
(zoology) A mass of cell capable of remaining dormant then later develops into a new individual.
(evolution) A hypothetical unit formerly assumed to act as bearer of hereditary attributes as postulated by Charles Darwin in his theory of pangenesis.
Supplement
In botany, gemmules refer to the asexual reproductive structures in some plants, such as the buds of mosses and the spores of hydra.
In zoology, gemmules are produced by sponges which can be dormant through the winter, and then later develop into new sponge.
In pangenesis, gemmules are imagined particles of inheritance conceptualized by Charles Darwin to explain heredity. Gemmules are thought to be shed from every part of the body, circulate freely in the bloodstream and move to the gonads where they accumulate in the germ cells. They are supposed to be transmitted from the parent to the offspring in the dormant state until atavism occurs. Gemmules are also called pangenes.
Word origin: French, from Latin gemmula, diminutive of gemma, bud.
See also: pangenesis.
Dictionary > Gemmule
You will also like...

Population Regulation in an Ecosystem
With regard to the population size of a species and what factors may affect them, two factors have been defined. They ar..

Genetic Control – On and Off Genes
Genes are the blueprint of our bodies, a blueprint that creates a variety of proteins essential to any organism's surviv..

Plant Metabolism
Plants are responsible for incredible feats of molecular transformation. Plant processes, such as photosynthesis, photop..

Protein Synthesis
Part of the genetic information is devoted to the synthesis of proteins. mRNA, a type of RNA, is produced as a transcri..

Ecosystem Succession
If the balance of nature is left untouched, landscapes can change dramatically over time. A previous ecosystem is supers..

Homeostatic Mechanisms and Cellular Communication
Homeostasis is the relatively stable conditions of the internal environment that result from compensatory regulatory res..