Hormonal imprinting (HI) is a phenomenon which takes place at the first encounter between a hormone and its developing receptor in the critical periods of life (in unicellulars during the whole life) and determines the later signal transduction capacity of the cell. The most important period in mammals is the perinatal one, however this system can be imprinted at weaning, at puberty and in case of continuously dividing cells during the whole life. Faulty imprinting is caused by drugs, environmental pollutants and other hormone-like molecules present in excess at the critical periods with lifelong receptorial, morphological, biochemical and behavioral consequences. HI is transmitted to the hundreds of progeny generations in unicellulars and (as proved) to a few generations also in mammals.
References
- Csaba G (1994). "Phylogeny and ontogeny of chemical signaling: origin and development of hormone receptors". International Review of Cytology. 155: 1–48. doi:10.1016/S0074-7696(08)62095-1. ISBN 9780123645586. PMID 7860212.
- Csaba G (July 2000). "Hormonal imprinting: its role during the evolution and development of hormones and receptors". Cell Biology International. 24 (7): 407–414. doi:10.1006/cbir.2000.0507. PMID 10875888. S2CID 44972563.
- Csaba G (April 2008). "Hormonal imprinting: phylogeny, ontogeny, diseases and possible role in present-day human evolution". Cell Biochemistry and Function. 26 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1002/cbf.1412. PMID 17437316. S2CID 40225744.