the term “epigenetics” was coined in the 1940s and denotes the heritable changes in the phenotype or gene expression patterns caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence. Since its introduction, the epigenetics research field has experienced a true boost, particularly in the last two decades, with the in-depth characterization of the determinants of the epigenome and ...

For a long time, scientists have tried to describe disorders just by genetic or environmental factors. However, the role of epigenetics in human diseases has been considered from a half of century ago. In the last decade, this subject has attracted many interests, especially in complicated disorders such as behavior plasticity, memory, cancer, autoimmune disease, and addiction as well as neurod...

Introduction: social factors, genes, and gene expression programming .....................................................548 How mechanisms of gene regulation “above the genome” contribute to inter-individual differences in behavior ....................................................................................................................549 Overview of epigenetic mechanisms ............

Chapter Outline Introduction 371 Epigenetics and Behavioral Biology 374 Epigenotypes Versus Epiphenotypes (Molecular vs. Molar Epigenetics) 375 The Epigenotype or Molecular Epigenetics 375 The Epiphenotype or Molar Epigenetics 376 Context-Dependent vs. Germline-Dependent Epigenetic Modifications 376 Context-Dependent Epigenetic Modification 377 Germline-Dependent Epigenetic Modification 378 Tra...

By the time the reader reaches Chapter 20, which focuses specifically on cancer, the mechanisms and symptoms of cancer are relatively easy to understand. Chapter 20 covers topics such as the cellular phenotypes of cancer, genes linked to cancer, and cancer treatment. While the primary literature citations at the end of the chapter will provide good starting points for the curious student, a mor...

In this issue we focus on the topic of Epigenetics, the study of heritable phenotypic traits not encoded by the genetic sequence. While every cell in your body has a copy of your genetic code in the form of DNA, many of the unique features between different cell types and between different individuals arise from unique patterns of gene expression. In recent decades, it has become increasingly c...

Chapter Outline Introduction 371 Epigenetics and Behavioral Biology 374 Epigenotypes Versus Epiphenotypes (Molecular vs. Molar Epigenetics) 375 The Epigenotype or Molecular Epigenetics 375 The Epiphenotype or Molar Epigenetics 376 Context-Dependent vs. Germline-Dependent Epigenetic Modifications 376 Context-Dependent Epigenetic Modification 377 Germline-Dependent Epigenetic Modification 378 Tra...