Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Scientists Reverse Aging In Human Cell Lines

Posted by samzenpus on from the not-that-old dept.

Eloking writes: Professor Jun-Ichi Hayashi from the University of Tsukuba in Japan has discovered the regulation of two genes involved with the production of glycine are partly responsible for some of the characteristics of aging. With this finding he has been able to "flip the switches on a few genes back to their youthful position, effectively reversing the aging process." The Professor's findings cast doubt on the mitochondrial theory of aging, which proposes that the accumulation of mutations in the mitochondrial DNA are responsible for aging.

5 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. epigenetics by phantomfive · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The scientists compared cells from 80-97 year olds, and kids under age 12. From the article:

    As expected, the older cells had reduced cellular respiration, but the older cells did not show more DNA damage than those from children. This discovery led the team to propose that the reduced cellular function is tied to epigenetic regulation,

    So it seems like the aging process of reduced cellular respiration comes from gene expression, that is, which genes are active, rather than their inability to perform.

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    1. Re:epigenetics by phantomfive · · Score: 5, Informative

      Can you break this down for me sesame street style? 31 year old alcoholic idiot here...

      1) Don't drink so much.
      2) Not all of our genes are active. For example, if you exercise then certain genes activate (presumably ones that say 'big muscles?').
      3) When we get old, our 'aging' genes activate.
      4) These scientists found a way to 'deactivate' the aging genes.

      I have no idea if that made more sense. I don't think this is the only problem with aging, though; here is a list of known problems.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    2. Re:epigenetics by qpqp · · Score: 5, Funny

      if you were married to my wife

      Imagine some more advances like this and you could be married to your wife for so much longer...

  2. Hurry up!!! by linuxguy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am 43 and starting to feel the effects of aging. I need this stuff pronto!

  3. Re:What is responsible for aging? by penguinoid · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Time

    No, irreparable damage. Note that what is irreparable depends on level of technology.

    Examples of potentially irreparable damage: DNA damage, oxidative damage, toxin accumulation, damage to extracellular matrix, scarring, changes in gene activity, and more.

    Note: Your cell line has lived for about 3,600,000,000 years. The trick to living 3,600,000,000 years is to repair damage faster than it occurs, for example by reproducing cells at sufficient rate that new undamaged material is created faster than damage accumulates.

    --
    Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways