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Very long-winded. Sounds like "hard" epigenetics doesn't exist in humans (changes to DNA expression aren't literally handed down) based on that factory reset ex
by sdwr 4y ago
Very long-winded. Sounds like "hard" epigenetics doesn't exist in humans (changes to DNA expression aren't literally handed down) based on that factory reset explanation, but "soft" epigenetics (hormonal signalling in utero leading to changes in gene expression) is very much on the table.
- vrc 4y agoI believe you’re using “soft”v. “hard” to distinguish what the author calls “inter generational” v “trans generational”. Using this distinction, “soft” epigenetics in your example is just epigenetics. The fetus responding to an external stressor which happens to be induced by a stressor on the mother. And in the case of female fetuses who have a fixed number of eggs for life, can impact those and therefore one more generation.