Fig. 2From: The role of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitusThe epigenetic pathway and the three categories of signals proposed. The extracellular epigenator signal triggers the initiation of the epigenetic pathway. The epigenetic initiator receives the signal from the epigenator and determines the chromatin state for establishing the epigenetic pathway. The epigenetic maintainer sustains the chromatin state in succeeding generationsBack to article page