Section Editor: Eamonn Maher
Associate Editors: Miguel Constancia, Jacquette Trasler
Epigenetic processes play a significant role in prenatal and perinatal development. The regulation of developmental epigenetic programming is determined by the establishment and maintenance of epigenetic marks in germ cells and in embryonic/foetal life. Epigenetic developmental disorders may result from environmental factors that disturb these processes during (e.g., spermatogenesis and in vitro fertilization). Moreover, there is increasing interest in the role of transgenerational effects on the fetal epigenome (e.g. environmental exposures in grandparents). This section welcomes submissions investigating the molecular basis of epigenome regulation in germ cells and prenatal development (e.g., genomic imprinting), genetic and environmental factors contributing to the pathogenesis of epigenetic developmental disorders as well as the clinical consequences are considered if insights are provided in disordered epigenetic regulation in germ cells and/or during early development.