sn, spermatozoön-nucleus; sc, spermatozoön centrosome; cn, chromatin-net; af,
aster fibrils; cho, chromosome of the ovum; chs, chromosome of the
spermatozoön; dc, divided centrosome; spc, splitted chromosomes, the lighter
that of the spermatozoön and the darker those of the ovum; nn, new nuclei,
each containing four chromosomes, two from the ovum and two from the
spermatozoön.
This law, that the determiner in the protoplasm of the parent cell, or
rather in the nucleus of the cell, always fixes the character of the
progeny, holds good only of the unit character. Many individual
characters are fluctuations and play no part in Mendelian heredity.
Bodily modifications, resulting from environing conditions, are not
Mendelized. Most of the human traits Mendelize, such as stature,
span, size of head, shades of color of hair and eyes, hair curliness,
pulse rate, digestion and the psychic traits, such as determination,
cheerfulness, alertness, resistance to fatigue. Some anomalies also
depend upon the determiners and Mendelize, such as colorblindness,
ness, night blindness, albinoism, brachydactylism (only two finger
joints instead of three), syndactylism, polydactylism, keratosis,
hemophilia, cataract, deaf-mutism, imbecility, Hutchinson’s chorea,
epilepsy, and some forms of insanity.
The Mendelian law of segregation has somewhat lifted the veil in
which maturition was wrapped. Every germ cell, being a product of
two parent cells, is in one way or other a hybrid. By casting off half
of the chromosomes during its maturing, it becomes pure. The
gamete is thus always pure and ready for impregnation.
Impregnation.—The process of impregnation is about the same in
most many-celled animals. As soon as the head of a single
spermatozoön enters the egg-cytoplasm, a new membrane is formed
around the ovum which effectually prevents the entrance of any
other spermatozoa. The head and the middle piece penetrate now
into the egg, the tail usually remaining imbedded in the membrane
where it soon degenerates.
A few moments after the spermatozoön has entered the egg, a
system of radiation appears around the middle piece which develops