ABSTRACT
Genetic factors are known to contribute to adipogenesis and obesity. These factors may be inˆuenced before birth by genomic imprinting or the differential expression of genetic information depending on the parent of origin. Obesity-related disorders such as Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) (pseudohypoparathyroidism [PHP] and pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism [PPHP]) are examples of errors in genomic imprinting due to epigenetics. Epigenetics refers to heritable but reversible regulation of various genetic functions including gene expression, which may be inˆuenced by environmental factors. The epigenetic status of a gene can be tissue specic and developmentally regulated but essential for normal cellular development and differentiation. It is mediated through DNA modication and histone interactions through mechanisms usually involving methylation but without altering the DNA sequence.
