The role of developmental plasticity and epigenetics in human health
The role of developmental plasticity and epigenetics in human health
Considerable epidemiological, experimental and clinical data have amassed showing that the risk of developing disease in later life is dependent on early life conditions, mainly operating within the normative range of developmental exposures. This relationship reflects plastic responses made by the developing organism as an evolved strategy to cope with immediate or predicted circumstances, to maximize fitness in the context of the range of environments potentially faced. There is now increasing evidence, both in animals and humans, that such developmental plasticity is mediated in part by epigenetic mechanisms. However, recognition of the importance of developmental plasticity as an important factor in influencing later life health—particularly within the medical and public health communities—is low, and we argue that this indifference cannot be sustained in light of the growing understanding of developmental processes and the rapid rise in the prevalence of obesity and metabolic disease globally
developmental plasticity, epigenetics, fitness, mismatch, obesity, metabolic disease
12-18
Gluckman, Peter D.
ef2e8b92-0b76-4a12-bd7c-01b0674f94d3
Hanson, Mark A.
1952fad1-abc7-4284-a0bc-a7eb31f70a3f
Low, Felicia M.
0f67b4e9-9879-4227-b9e3-10af72a26dc0
March 2011
Gluckman, Peter D.
ef2e8b92-0b76-4a12-bd7c-01b0674f94d3
Hanson, Mark A.
1952fad1-abc7-4284-a0bc-a7eb31f70a3f
Low, Felicia M.
0f67b4e9-9879-4227-b9e3-10af72a26dc0
Gluckman, Peter D., Hanson, Mark A. and Low, Felicia M.
(2011)
The role of developmental plasticity and epigenetics in human health.
Birth Defects Research Part C: Embryo Today: Reviews, 93 (1), .
(doi:10.1002/bdrc.20198).
(PMID:21425438)
Abstract
Considerable epidemiological, experimental and clinical data have amassed showing that the risk of developing disease in later life is dependent on early life conditions, mainly operating within the normative range of developmental exposures. This relationship reflects plastic responses made by the developing organism as an evolved strategy to cope with immediate or predicted circumstances, to maximize fitness in the context of the range of environments potentially faced. There is now increasing evidence, both in animals and humans, that such developmental plasticity is mediated in part by epigenetic mechanisms. However, recognition of the importance of developmental plasticity as an important factor in influencing later life health—particularly within the medical and public health communities—is low, and we argue that this indifference cannot be sustained in light of the growing understanding of developmental processes and the rapid rise in the prevalence of obesity and metabolic disease globally
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e-pub ahead of print date: 21 March 2011
Published date: March 2011
Keywords:
developmental plasticity, epigenetics, fitness, mismatch, obesity, metabolic disease
Organisations:
Human Development & Health
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 337153
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/337153
ISSN: 1542-975X
PURE UUID: 3e38df27-2f65-495d-a95e-a046a5425b39
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Date deposited: 20 Apr 2012 07:29
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:07
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Contributors
Author:
Peter D. Gluckman
Author:
Felicia M. Low
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