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Tumor-suppressing Gene Contributes to Aging

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the growing-old dept.

Van Cutter Romney writes "Scientists have discovered a tumor suppressing gene which also leads to aging in stem cells. The gene also known as p16INK4a when removed from 'knockout' mice resulted in older mice having organs as healthy as younger ones. However they didn't live any longer than normal mice. The new study was confirmed by three independent researchers from Harvard, UNC Chapel Hill and University of Michigan."

1 of 145 comments (clear)

  1. What springs to mind... by Meccanica · · Score: 5, Interesting

    although it does not follow directly from this discovery, is the question: If you could change the balance at any point, what would it mean to be able to choose between heightened risk of cancer and some of the worse effects of old age? What a choice to have to make. (AFAIK, this is not even an issue, just something I thought of after hearing of it. I did not RTFA, but I heard this same discovery reported on the news recently.)

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