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Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance

Meaning

Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance is the non-genetic transmission of phenotypic traits or disease susceptibility from a parent to their offspring, and subsequent generations, through epigenetic mechanisms rather than changes to the DNA sequence itself. This phenomenon suggests that environmental exposures experienced by one generation, such as dietary stress or toxin exposure, can alter the germline epigenome, influencing the health trajectory of their descendants. It challenges the traditional Mendelian view of inheritance by demonstrating a direct link between ancestral environment and offspring phenotype.