"Roll over Weismann" Lamarck coming through


The paper "Roll over Weismann: extracellular vesicles in the transgenerational transmission of environmental effects" by Eaton et al. (2015) proposes that extracellular vesicles (EVs) may be a mechanism for the transgenerational transmission of environmental effects. EVs are small, membrane-bound particles that are released by many different cell types. They can contain a variety of cargo, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids.


The authors of the paper review evidence that suggests that EVs can be transferred from somatic cells to germ cells. They also discuss evidence that exposure to environmental stressors can alter the RNA content of EVs. This suggests that EVs may be a way for environmental exposures to influence the epigenome of the germline, which could lead to transgenerational effects.

The authors conclude that the "Weismann barrier" - the theoretical barrier that prevents information from the soma from being transmitted to the germline - is not impenetrable as previously thought. They suggest that EVs may provide a way for environmental exposures to have a lasting impact on the offspring of exposed individuals. The Weismann barrier was a direct challenge to Lamarck's transgenerational inheritance aka "soft inheritance."

This paper is an important contribution to the field of epigenetics. It provides a new potential mechanism for the transgenerational transmission of environmental effects, and it raises important questions about the role of EVs in the regulation of gene expression.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the paper:

  • EVs are small, membrane-bound particles that can be released by many different cell types.

  • EVs can contain a variety of cargo, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids.

  • EVs can be transferred from somatic cells to germ cells.

  • Exposure to environmental stressors can alter the RNA content of EVs.

  • This suggests that EVs may be a way for environmental exposures to influence the epigenome of the germline.

  • The authors conclude that the Weismann barrier is not impenetrable as previously thought.

This paper is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the field of epigenetics. It provides a new perspective on the transgenerational transmission of environmental effects, and it raises important questions about the role of EVs in the regulation of gene expression.


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