Preformationism and epigenesis
As recently as the 18th century, the prevailing notion in western human embryology was preformation: the idea that semen contains … See more

Until the birth of modern embryology through observation of the mammalian ovum by Karl Ernst von Baer in 1827, there was no clear scientific understanding of embryology, … See more

Medical embryology is used widely to detect abnormalities before birth. 2-5% of babies are born with an observable abnormality and … See more

After the 1950s, with the DNA helical structure being unraveled and the increasing knowledge in the field of molecular biology See more

Evolutionary embryology is the expansion of comparative embryology by the ideas of Charles Darwin. Similarly to Karl Ernst von Baer's principles that explained why many species often appear similar to one another in early developmental stages, Darwin argued that … See more

Many principles of embryology apply to invertebrates as well as to vertebrates. Therefore, the study of invertebrate embryology has advanced the study of vertebrate embryology. However, there are many differences as well. For example, numerous … See more

Ancient Egypt
Knowledge of the placenta goes back at least to ancient Egypt, where it was viewed as the seat of the soul. There was an Egyptian official … See more