Developmental Origins of Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance

Overview

Journal Environ Epigenet

Publisher Oxford University Press

Date 2016 Jul 9

PMID 27390622

Citations 53

Authors

Mark A Hanson

Michael K Skinner

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Environmental factors can induce epigenetic alterations in the germ cells that can potentially be transmitted transgenerationally. This non-genetic form of inheritance is termed epigenetic transgenerational inheritance and has been shown in a variety of species including plants, flies, worms, fish, rodents, pigs, and humans. This phenomenon operates during specific critical windows of exposure, linked to the developmental biology of the germ cells (sperm and eggs). Therefore, concepts of the developmental origins of transgenerational inheritance of phenotypic variation and subsequent disease risk need to include epigenetic processes affecting the developmental biology of the germ cell. These developmental impacts on epigenetic transgenerational inheritance, in contrast to multigenerational exposures, are the focus of this Perspective.

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