Anlage

Encyclopedia : A : AN : ANL : Anlage

Anlage is a fundamental principle, or a foundation for future development. The word is of [german origin] (i.e. die Anlage, female noun) and relates to the verb anlegen which means establishing something or preparing something for development. (ex. "Geldanlage" is a money-investment, "Gartenanlage" is a park or nature reservoir, "Veranlagung" is any kind of predisposition)

In biology, anlage is the primordium, the initial clustering of embryonic cells that serves as a foundation from which a body part or an organ develops.

In genetics, anlage is a predisposition to a given personality characteristics or a trait.

Failure to progress past this stage in organ development is known as agenesis.

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