Читать книгу The Power Of Youth. How To Tune Our Mind And Body For A Long And Healthy Life - Андрей Фоменко - Страница 18

Epigenetics (the Greek prefix epi means "over," or "above") is the study of stable phenotypic changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. In simple terms, it studies how genes are "turned on" or "turned off" by environmental factors. You can imagine how a certain "commander" orders the genes to work or to rest ("stay silent") at a certain moment, depending on the signal received. This "commander," who determines the activity of genes, is an epigene. Ecological environment, diet, physical activity, bad and good habits, toxins, viruses, biochemical processes in the body, as well as thoughts, emotions, feelings, and human behavior are signals to it.

DNA is the code that an organism uses to build and rebuild itself. But the genes also need "instructions" to structure the course of work. And the collection of such "instructions" is our other code, the epigenetic program, which tells the body how our genes shall work.