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EPIGENETICS IN EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT AND AGING πŸŽ—

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"Your DNA alone is not your destiny. Epigenetics can drive change in your cells." - Professor Steve Horvath 🧬 Following fertilization, extensive epigenetic reprogramming occurs in both parental genomes. Two major waves take place; the first during preimplantation development & the second in primordial germ cells. These processes reset many epigenetic marks while preserving essential genomic imprints. This reprogramming is fundamental to restoring developmental potential, regulating embryonic gene expression, & maintaining genomic integrity. πŸ”Ή Although most cells contain essentially the same DNA, epigenetic mechanisms enable pluripotent stem cells to develop into specialized cells, including neurons, muscle cells, & blood cells. DNA methylation, histone modifications, & chromatin accessibility regulate which genes remain active or become silenced. These mechanisms establish & maintain distinct cellular identities. πŸ”Ή During embryogenesis, epig...
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WEEKEND READS πŸ“š

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Recommended book of the weekend: πŸƒ ☕ ➡️ "THE SIXTH WINTER" By Douglas Orgil & John Gribbin   🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
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GENOME ORGANIZATION, CHROMATIN ARCHITECTURE AND CHROMOSOME TERRITORIES πŸŽ—

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"Chromosome territories constitute a major feature of nuclear architecture." - Thomas Cremer & Marion Cremer 🧬 Genome organization refers to the structural arrangement of genetic material within cells, ensuring efficient DNA packaging, replication, maintenance & gene expression. The human nuclear genome contains approximately 3.2 billion base pairs distributed across 23 pairs of chromosomes. DNA is hierarchically organized into nucleosomes, chromatin domains, loops & higher-order chromosome structures, allowing it to fit within the nucleus while remaining accessible to cellular machinery. πŸ”Ή Chromatin is a complex of DNA, histone proteins & associated regulatory molecules. Its fundamental structural unit, the nucleosome, consists of approximately 147 base pairs of DNA wrapped around a histone octamer containing two copies each of H2A, H2B, H3 & H4. Chromatin exists in two broad functional states: euchromatin, which is generally accessible & transcript...
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WEEKEND READS πŸ“š

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Recommended book of the weekend: πŸƒ ☕ ➡️ "THE GENESIS QUEST" By Donald Moffitt   🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
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BREAST CANCER GENETICS: THINK PINK, ACT EARLY, SUPPORT EVERY SURVIVOR πŸŽ—

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“DNA repair protects the integrity of our genetic information; when repair systems fail, mutations can accumulate and contribute to cancer.” - Paul Modrich 🧬 Breast cancer develops when abnormal breast cells grow uncontrollably. Inherited pathogenic variants in  BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, TP53 and CHEK2  can increase susceptibility. However, most breast cancers are not directly attributable to inherited variants; ageing, acquired genetic alterations & other factors also contribute. Understanding genetic risk supports informed decisions about prevention, screening & treatment. πŸ”Ή A family history of early-onset breast cancer, ovarian cancer, male breast cancer or multiple affected relatives may indicate hereditary susceptibility. Genetic counselling & appropriate testing can inform personalised surveillance, risk-reduction strategies & family risk assessment. A positive result does not guarantee cancer will develop, while a negative result does not eliminate risk. πŸ”Ή...
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WEEKEND READS πŸ“š

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Recommended book of the weekend: πŸƒ ☕ ➡️ "THE CIDER HOUSE RULES" By John Irving    🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
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CONGENITAL DISORDERS AND DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYS πŸŽ—

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“The dream of every cell is to become two cells.” - FranΓ§ois Jacob 🧬 Congenital disorders are structural, functional, metabolic, or developmental abnormalities that originate during intrauterine development and may be detected before birth, at delivery, or later in life. They can arise from genetic variants, chromosomal abnormalities, maternal conditions, environmental exposures, or interactions among these factors. Developmental pathways coordinate cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, signalling, and organ formation. Disruption of these tightly regulated processes can alter normal embryogenesis and produce characteristic clinical phenotypes. πŸ”Ή Chromosomal abnormalities, single-gene variants, and changes in gene regulation can disrupt developmental processes. The Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), WNT, Notch, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-Ξ²) pathways regulate essential events in embryonic patterning and organogenesis. For example, impaired SHH signalling is associated with h...
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