Wheatgrass is a nutrient-rich type of young grass in the wheat family. It's sold as a dietary supplement in tablet, capsule and liquid forms. Wheatgrass is often used for juicing, or added to smoothies or tea.ome proponents tout wheatgrass as a treatment for cancer, anemia, diabetes, constipation, infections, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis and joint pain, among other health concerns. However, there are few research studies about wheatgrass, so it's difficult to assess such health claims.
Genomic imprinting is an example of epigenetic inheritance in which differences in gene function depend on whether the allele was inherited from the mother or father. Many disorders appear to involve epigenetic alterations to imprinted genes. Genes involved in imprinting play important roles in both preâ and postânatal growth and neurodevelopment. Imprinting disorders include several childhood genetic disorders such as PraderâWilli, Angelman and BeckwithâWiedemann syndromes, as well as several types of cancer including Wilms tumour. Recent evidence suggests a correlation between assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and imprinting disorders, a phenomenon requiring more inâdepth studies as the prevalence of ART is increasing.
Soon after egg and sperm meet, most of the epigenetic tags that activate and silence genes are stripped from the DNA. However, in mammals, imprinted genes keep their epigenetic tags. Imprinted genes begin the process of development with epigenetic tags in place.Imprinted genes are not the only genes that bypass epigenetic reprogramming in the early embryo. Studying imprinting may help researchers understand how other genes make it through reprogramming without losing their epigenetic tags.epending on the gene, either the copy from mom or the copy from dad is epigenetically silenced. Silencing usually happens through the addition of methyl groups during egg or sperm formation. The epigenetic tags on imprinted genes usually stay put for the life of the organism.