Genetics of ocular disease Part 1: Basic concepts: cells, chromosomes and inheritance

This series of articles describes the basic elements of genetics necessary to understand the new advances and the impact these advances will have on the study and treatment of ocular disease. The first article describes the patterns of inheritance of human characteristics, how they are transmitted between the generations and the structure of chromosomes.

Genetics of ocular disease Part 3: Patterns of inheritance of ocular disease

The objective of this article is to describe the patterns of inheritance exhibited in the human populations and to illustrate them with examples drawn from a variety of ocular diseases.

A role for epigenetic modulation of the innate immune response during aging

The ageing process results from a complex interplay between genes and the environment that can precipitate an uncontrolled inflammation. Epigenetic changes are believed to provide a link between the environment and nutrition to gene expression by altering the activity of some histone-modifying protein. Epigenetic modifications of DNA and histone proteins have been proposed as important contributory mechanisms to the retention of metabolic memory over time. A thorough understanding of the posttranscriptional and epigenetic factors involved in both normal ageing and age-related disease may inform new strategies and approaches to diagnose, treat, or suppress many aspects of age-dependent frailty.