Another important past-genomic influence was found to be gestational nutrition. GESTATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM A relatively less studied embryonic aspect is the development of musculoskeletal pathology (e.g.

ITF2357 molecular weight adipose tissue, sarcopenia, osteopenia).4,5 The theory of fetal programming of body composition and musculoskeletal development has been previously well defined.4 Maternal and fetal malnutrition were found to be programmers of muscle, bone, and adipose tissue development and are trimester-sensitive.5 In normal muscle development the primary muscle fibers are produced in the first trimester (6–8 weeks) and further multiplied by the secondary Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical fibers in the later trimester (8–18 weeks). It was documented, both experimentally and epidemiologically, that fetal nutritional deprivation can lead to sarcopenia in adulthood.5

Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Fat tissue development occurs mainly in the third trimester (30 weeks). Malnutrition predisposes infants to low birth weight, compensated for with a “catch-up” metabolism. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Both experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that fetal nutritional deprivation can program obesity in adulthood. Bone development starts with osteoblastic invasion of the embryonic cartilaginous skeleton early in the first trimester (5 weeks), then Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical continues during gestation and also in the postnatal period. It was documented that fetal nutritional deprivation, hypovitaminosis D, and low calcium intake are all factors which can program osteopenia in adults.6 THE EFFECT OF EARLY-LIFE STARVATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT DISEASES During WWII, starvation was used by the German authorities as a weapon of submission or punishment in the siege Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of Leningrad and in the Netherlands. Starvation also occurred on the Channel Islands when their food supply was cut off by the Normandy

invasion. The Leningrad siege: The German army surrounded the city of 2.9 million (0.5 million children) next between September 1941 and January 1944, resulting in 630,000 deaths. Many years later, studies were conducted on children born to mothers with sustenance of between 300–800 daily calories during their pregnancy. There was a clear relationship between birth size and obesity, with metabolic diseases emerging in infancy and adolescence, and cardiac disease emerging in adulthood.7 The Dutch embargo: During November 1944, as a reprisal for a railway strike, a severe food embargo was instituted over the Western Netherlands. The caloric supply was gradually reduced to 1000, then to 800, and by April 1945 to 400 calories a day. The registry recorded some 18,000 deaths directly (and several thousands indirectly) related to famine.