The early environment, developmental plasticity and aging
The early environment, developmental plasticity and aging
Darwin described how animal populations have two adaptation strategies: natural selection based on genetic variation acting over many generations, and developmental plasticity acting within the lifetime of an individual. The contribution of these processes can be difficult to distinguish at the individual level, and the relevance of human developmental plasticity to aging and health in later life is only now being recognized. The formal definition of developmental plasticity is ‘the ability of a single genotype to produce more than one alternative form of structure, physiological state or behaviour in response to environmental conditions’. As an alternative to adaptation to changing environments through genetic diversification, living things have evolved plastic responses. This enables the production of phenotypes that are better suited to their environment than would be possible if the same phenotype was produced regardless of environmental conditions.
205-211
Aihie-Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Barker, David
0bfdcbdc-bc80-4c0f-9d07-ce3f9f82bc36
2002
Aihie-Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Barker, David
0bfdcbdc-bc80-4c0f-9d07-ce3f9f82bc36
Aihie-Sayer, Avan and Barker, David
(2002)
The early environment, developmental plasticity and aging.
Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 12 (3), .
(doi:10.1017/S0959259802012339).
Abstract
Darwin described how animal populations have two adaptation strategies: natural selection based on genetic variation acting over many generations, and developmental plasticity acting within the lifetime of an individual. The contribution of these processes can be difficult to distinguish at the individual level, and the relevance of human developmental plasticity to aging and health in later life is only now being recognized. The formal definition of developmental plasticity is ‘the ability of a single genotype to produce more than one alternative form of structure, physiological state or behaviour in response to environmental conditions’. As an alternative to adaptation to changing environments through genetic diversification, living things have evolved plastic responses. This enables the production of phenotypes that are better suited to their environment than would be possible if the same phenotype was produced regardless of environmental conditions.
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Published date: 2002
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Local EPrints ID: 25187
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/25187
ISSN: 0959-2598
PURE UUID: 7365a64c-9273-435b-a55b-82b03b6e9ffd
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Date deposited: 07 Apr 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 07:01
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Author:
Avan Aihie-Sayer
Author:
David Barker
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