[The mechanisms of onto- and gerontogenesis]

The idea that processes in the non-living systems lead, as a result of evolution, to the state of thermodynamic equilibrium was almost fully taken up in biology (Arshavskii, 1982). The entropic theories of development appeared in this way, which dominated until recently. These theories take their origin from the studies of Weismann (1882), who noted that the zygote can realize only a certain number of divisions during the life cycle due to diminution of chromatin. According to this author, this determines ageing starting from the zygote and gradually leading to death.