Figure 1.

In utero exposures and the concept of a developmental origin of CC. This concept suggests that susceptibility to childhood and adult diseases is strongly influenced through adaptive responses, including the deregulation of the epigenome, to in utero conditions. These responses may include changes in different developmental pathways (such as production and expansion of somatic stem/progenitor cells, metabolic changes and production of and sensitivity to hormones), a combination of which may alter normal development of tissues and organs. These changes could persist throughout postnatal life and constitute the bases for differential susceptibility to disease.