Fig. 6.

Summary figure illustrating broad programming after mHFD exposure that narrows over generations, resulting in a specific epigenetic transmission to F3 female offspring. F1 offspring undergo extensive somatic programming as a result of mHFD exposure, resulting in traits such as increased adiposity that do not transmit to subsequent generations (28). A subset of the F1 phenotype is passed to F2 through both maternal and paternal lines through either perpetuating maternal effects (maternal line) or transient programming of primordial germ cells by mHFD (maternal and paternal lines). The gametic marks responsible for these transmissions may be transient, in which case they terminate in F2. Increased body length and weight, as transmitted through the paternal lineage to F3 female offspring, are stably programmed in the germline. (M, male offspring; F, female offspring; mat., maternal lineage; pat., paternal lineage).