For two centuries, until the development of cell theory, preformationists would oppose epigenicists, and, inside the preformationist camp, spermists (who claimed the homunculus must come from the man) to ovists, who located the homunculus in the ova.
Durante dous séculos, ata o desenvolvemento da teoría celular, os preformacionistas opoñeríanse aos epixenesistas, e, dentro do campo do preformacionismo, os espermistas (que consideraban que o homúnculo debe proceder do home) opoñíanse aos ovistas, que localizaban o homúnculo no ovo.