DNA Methylation and Development

This sketch video about epigenetics was created by Armando Hasudungan, in collaboration with Professor Susan Clark and Dr Kate Patterson at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. It has been created for a broad, non-expert audience to highlight key messages about the role epigenetics plays in biological processes like development and diseases such as cancer.

Epigenetic patterns are established during embryonic development and maintained during cell division. Epigenetic patterns in each cell are exquisitely programmed but potentially can be altered by our environment. This video explains how the hypothesis of the developmental origins of health and disease proposes that not only are we what we eat but that we could also be what our parents and even our grandparents ate.

[jasmith]

Superb and very concise explanation and a gem of an illustration. It is a shame that it has gone undiscovered so far. Thank you so much.

[abrilaparicio]

Hi, excellent video so as to understand the epigenetic bases.
I have a doubt, when methylation occurs, it is assumed that chromatin remains strongly condensed for the addition of methyl groups to cytosine sites, which will not allow the enter of transcriptional factors so the transcription does not occurs .
So my question is
... During the first stages of development, the level of maternal methylation will be lower than the paternal one, so it is the maternal genome that guides the expression of genes of the fetus? the paternal? or Both genomes are on and off mixed controlling the development characteristics? and How can we know which gene (maternal or paternal) is expressed in a certain time and place to develop a specific area? Thank you so much

[televishenimoniker]

I am curious about generation of sperm & egg. Is the methylation pattern of each sperm or egg identical or varied somewhat?