Wilhelm Reich’s Claim of the Heterogenesis of Eukaryotic Amoebae

To this day there is still no definitive model for the evolutionary emergence of eukaryotic cells. Before WWII, there existed two non-Darwinian models that have now been forgotten the symbiotic and the orgonomic theories, which are contrasted in the present review. Both had in common the notion that the eukaryotic cell was simply a spontaneous assemblage of prokaryote-like vesicles. The orgonomic model further claimed de novo generation (heterogenesis) of eukaryotic cells (protozoa) from the spontaneous assemblage of such prokaryote-like vesicles out of dying and decaying tissue cells, or from sterilized soil infusions. However, both claims are found to be wanting in their experimental foundation.