Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
Genetic Variation01:25

Genetic Variation

Genetic variation is the diversity in DNA sequences found among individuals of the same species. This diversity is crucial for a species' survival because it helps organisms adapt to environmental changes. Genetic variation begins with fertilization, where an egg and sperm cell merge. Each of these cells carries 23 chromosomes, up to 46 in the fertilized egg. Chromosomes are long DNA strands that contain genes, the basic units of heredity.
Genes exist in different versions called alleles, which...
Gene-Environment Interactions01:20

Gene-Environment Interactions

Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
Inheritance of Chromatin Structures03:17

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying DNA...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Mouse metastable epialleles are extremely rare.

Nucleic acids research·2025
Same author

Human genomic regions of systemic interindividual epigenetic variation are implicated in neurodevelopmental and metabolic disorders.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025
Same author

Systemic interindividual DNA methylation variants in cattle share major hallmarks with those in humans.

Genome biology·2024
Same author

Biallelic variants in COQ7 cause distal hereditary motor neuropathy with upper motor neuron signs.

Brain : a journal of neurology·2023
Same author

Systemic interindividual epigenetic variation in humans is associated with transposable elements and under strong genetic control.

Genome biology·2023
Same author

Sex-specific epigenetic development in the mouse hypothalamic arcuate nucleus pinpoints human genomic regions associated with body mass index.

Science advances·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues
10:41

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues

Published on: April 5, 2018

Individual epigenetic variation: when, why, and so what?

Marcus V Gomes1, Robert A Waterland

  • 1Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, USDA Children's Nutrition Research Center, Houston, TX, USA.

Nestle Nutrition Workshop Series. Paediatric Programme
|July 16, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Epigenetics, the study of environmental influences on gene expression, helps explain disease risk. This review explores factors causing individual differences in epigenetic regulation and their link to chronic diseases.

More Related Videos

Optimized Analysis of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression from Small, Anatomically-defined Areas of the Brain
13:11

Optimized Analysis of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression from Small, Anatomically-defined Areas of the Brain

Published on: July 12, 2012

A Semiautomated ChIP-Seq Procedure for Large-scale Epigenetic Studies
08:04

A Semiautomated ChIP-Seq Procedure for Large-scale Epigenetic Studies

Published on: August 13, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues
10:41

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues

Published on: April 5, 2018

Optimized Analysis of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression from Small, Anatomically-defined Areas of the Brain
13:11

Optimized Analysis of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression from Small, Anatomically-defined Areas of the Brain

Published on: July 12, 2012

A Semiautomated ChIP-Seq Procedure for Large-scale Epigenetic Studies
08:04

A Semiautomated ChIP-Seq Procedure for Large-scale Epigenetic Studies

Published on: August 13, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics and Environmental Health
  • Genomics and Disease Susceptibility

Background:

  • Environmental factors can alter disease risk through epigenetic mechanisms.
  • Individual differences in DNA methylation and epigenetic regulation are observed in specific genomic regions.
  • Current understanding of the drivers of interindividual epigenetic variation is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on factors contributing to interindividual epigenetic variation.
  • To investigate the timing of epigenetic variation during the life cycle.
  • To explore the impact of epigenetic differences on susceptibility to diet-related chronic diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current research on epigenetics and interindividual variation.
  • Synthesis of findings related to epigenetic regulation across the lifespan.
  • Analysis of studies linking epigenetic variability to disease susceptibility.

Main Results:

  • Acknowledges significant interindividual variation in epigenetic regulation.
  • Highlights specific genomic regions (transposable elements, imprinted genes, inactive X chromosomes) exhibiting such variation.
  • Identifies gaps in understanding the origins and life-course development of epigenetic differences.

Conclusions:

  • Further research is needed to understand the causes of epigenetic variation.
  • Investigating when epigenetic variation arises and its impact on chronic disease is crucial.
  • Epigenetic interindividuality may play a role in diet-related disease susceptibility.