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.
Selama dua abad, sampai perkembangan teori sel, para preformasionis akan menentang epigenicists, dan, di dalam kamp preformationist, spermists (yang mengklaim homunculus harus datang dari pria) ke ovists, yang menemukan homunculus di dalam ovum.