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Important and Totally New Model For Aging This study came out of left field. There are many models of aging, such as the oxidative stress theory, loss of telomeres, mitochondrial aging and stress. Now, it seems, scientists have discovered that aged or “senescent” cells hanging around in healthy tissues can cause surrounding normal cells to slow down and prematurely age. Senescent cells start to accumulate and produce “age” proteins and other factors that basically make the healthy neighboring cells that surround them less functional. It’s like a bad mob influence in the neighborhood, spoiling it for all the good guys! This is not a model of aging I have heard before. But it is promising because animal studies showed that if we sweep away the aged cells, the animals lived longer and were far more energetic. The study was conducted by Mayo Clinic scientists in Rochester, Minnesota, and published online Nov. 2 in the prestigious journal Nature. After “deleting” senescent cells in mice genetically engineered to age quickly, tissues remained healthier and performed better. These tired old cells make up only 15% of cells in an elderly person. To eliminate them in the mice, the researchers focused a tracer on a gene called p16, which stops cells from dividing youthfully. This gene does not express itself in youth but tends to become active in later years. Again, there is the question: does it become active because of aging or does aging occur because it becomes active?

Important and Totally New Model For Aging This study came out of left field. There are many models of aging, such as the oxidative stress theory, loss of telomeres, mitochondrial aging and stress. Now, it seems, scientists have discovered that aged or “senescent” cells hanging around in healthy tissues can cause surrounding normal cells to slow down and prematurely age. Senescent cells start to accumulate and produce “age” proteins and other factors that basically make the healthy neighboring cells that surround them less functional. It’s like a bad mob influence in the neighborhood, spoiling it for all the good guys! This is not a model of aging I have heard before. But it is promising because animal studies showed that if we sweep away the aged cells, the animals lived longer and were far more energetic. The study was conducted by Mayo Clinic scientists in Rochester, Minnesota, and published online Nov. 2 in the prestigious journal Nature. After “deleting” senescent cells in mice genetically engineered to age quickly, tissues remained healthier and performed better. These tired old cells make up only 15% of cells in an elderly person. To eliminate them in the mice, the researchers focused a tracer on a gene called p16, which stops cells from dividing youthfully. This gene does not express itself in youth but tends to become active in later years. Again, there is the question: does it become active because of aging or does aging occur because it becomes active?