Epigenetics: Were You Born This Way?
Your Genes Make You You
Genes found within your DNA create the building blocks of each person. They determine hair color, eye color, affect height, and control any number of things about you. In essence, every aspect of yourself, from physical characteristics to personality, can be, at least in part, attributed to your genetic makeup. This is the basic premise of the "nature vs. nurture" discussion. But what if "nature," your genes, were themselves affected by your environment. This is where epigenetics comes into play.
At its heart, epigenetics is how and why specific genes are expressed and why others are dormant. For example, the COL1A1 gene is present in all cells, but it is only utilized (or expressed) in skin cells...
