Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by manmal 2390 days ago
How long are epigenetic changes supposed to last? Do changes caused by trauma last longer than slower changes?
1 comments

Every single specific thing that a differentiated cell does (which are most cells in the organism) are technically due to "epigenetics". Epigenetics just means that there are mechanisms to activate some genes and deactivate others. This is the essential core process in differentiation, as well as in many other processes in the body. It is like asking how long do differences between your skin cells and neurons is supposed to last?