The theory of inheritance originally outlined by Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) in 1866 and formulated in two laws. The law of segregation states that each hereditary characteristic is controlled by two factors (now referred to as alleles) that segregate and pass into separate reproductive (or germ) cells. The law of independent assortment holds that pairs of factors segregate independently of each other when reproductive cells are formed.
See Allele, Cytoplasm, Darwinism, Hereditary, Modern synthesis, Neo-Darwinism, Polygenic mode of inheritance, Recapitulation theory (or biogenetic law)