[Progress of research on epigenetic and human disease.].
In the past few fears, there has been a nascent convergence of scientific understanding of human disease with epigenetic. Identified epigenetic processes involved in human disease include chromatin remodeling, genomic imprinting, X chromosome inactivation, and noncoding RNAs regulation. These processes influence chromatin structure and thereby regulate gene expression on the chromosome level or a cluster of linked genes level. Deregulation of these processes result in lots of disease which are characterized by complex patterns of mutations and associated phenotypes affecting pre- and postnatal growth, development, and neurological function. Epigenetic diseases are illustrated by the array of multi-system disorders and neoplasias and investigations of these diseases have an impact on biomedical research and provide interesting models for functions and mechanisms of epigenetic gene control.
Department of Genetics, Institute of Medical Biology, Peking Union Medical College, Kunming 650118, China, Email: z_lu_er@sohu,com.
Yong-Biao
YB
Zhang
Jia-You
JY
Chu
D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D057890:Epigenomics; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006801:Humans; D022661:RNA, Untranslated
D022661:RNA, Untranslated