Epigenetics

Learn about the epigenome, a set of chemical switches that interact with DNA and affect how some genes are expressed. The epigenome tells cells what they will be and how they will function. Researchers in the field of epigenetics are studying mice as well as humans to determine how gene expression is affected by environmental factors and lifestyle choices. What they've learned is helping them explain differences that can appear over time in identical twins, and more broadly, in the general population. Produced by ©WGBH Educational Foundation. All Rights Reserved. Media credits.