Turning back the clock
Read moreDid you know that scientists may have found a way to prevent aging or increase our lifespan?
Human longevity is related to the aging of our individual cells. Researchers have found two different ways in which cells age and die. Either cells ages through a continuous decline in DNA stability or through a continuous decline in mitochondria (the energy producers of the cell).
Scientists have found a way to create a “gene oscillator” that acts like a clock and periodically switches between these two aging pathways, avoiding prolonged commitment to either. By oscillating between these two states, the gene circuit can potentially slow down the aging process and increase lifespan.
The research was published in the “Science” journal in 2023. By doing this, scientists have effectively increased the lifespan of yeast cells by 82%. Could this be a step towards making people live longer or have an average lifespan of 120 and beyond? It’s too early to tell, but this development is certainly promising and could lead to further advances in anti-aging research.