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Germline Epigenetic Reprogramming

Meaning

Germline Epigenetic Reprogramming is the natural, periodic process that occurs in the germ cells (sperm and oocytes) and early embryo, involving the comprehensive erasure and re-establishment of epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. This process is essential for resetting the developmental clock and ensuring that the inherited genome is totipotent, allowing for the formation of a new, healthy organism. Disruptions in this reprogramming can lead to the transgenerational inheritance of acquired metabolic or endocrine traits.