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ABSTRACT The availability to the DNA strand and the activity of the transcription machinery is crucial for the cell to use the information in the DNA. The epigenetic mechanisms DNA

methylation, modification of histone tails, other chromatin-modifying processes and interference by small RNAs regulate the cell-type-specific DNA expression. Epigenetic marks can be more or

less plastic perpetuating responses to various molecular signals and environmental stimuli, but in addition apparently stochastic epigenetic marks have been found. There is substantial

evidence from animal and man demonstrating that both transient and more long-term epigenetic mechanisms have a role in the regulation of the molecular events governing adipogenesis and

glucose homeostasis. Intrauterine exposure such as poor maternal nutrition has consistently been demonstrated to contribute to a particular epigenotype and thereby developmental metabolic

priming of the exposed offspring in animal and man. Epigenetic modifications can be passed not only from one cell generation to the next, but metabolic disease-related epigenotypes have been

proposed to also be transmitted germ-line. Future more comprehensive knowledge on epigenetic regulation will complement genome sequence data for the understanding of the complex etiology of

obesity and related disorder. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your

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our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS EPIGENETIC REGULATION IN METABOLIC DISEASES: MECHANISMS AND ADVANCES IN CLINICAL STUDY Article Open access 02 March

2023 EPIGENETIC CHANGES INDUCED BY IN UTERO DIETARY CHALLENGE RESULT IN PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY IN SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS OF MICE Article Open access 05 May 2022 PATERNAL HIGH-FAT DIET

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433–440. Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet,

Stockholm, Sweden C Lavebratt & M Almgren * Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden M Almgren & T J Ekström Authors * C Lavebratt View author

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declare no conflict of interest. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Lavebratt, C., Almgren, M. & Ekström, T. Epigenetic regulation in

obesity. _Int J Obes_ 36, 757–765 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2011.178 Download citation * Received: 06 June 2011 * Revised: 26 July 2011 * Accepted: 30 July 2011 * Published: 13

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methylation * non-genetic inheritance * developmental priming * metabolic syndrome