Methylation across life

From conception to old age: methylation patterns are rewritten many times.

“The goal is not to methylate everything. The goal is to regulate the right genes, in the right tissues, at the right time, at the right intensity.”

ZygoteEmbryo · implantationFetusChildhoodAdultOlder adultElder
80%methylated
Stage

Childhood

Patterns are relatively stable. Early adversity, infections and diet can leave durable epigenetic signatures.

What your mother ate, your childhood sleep, and your lifestyle today all leave marks on DNA.