What is the telomerase theory?

What is the telomerase theory?

It is thought that, as a cell divides, the telomeres become shorter and shorter each time until they are gone. At this point, the so-called “real” DNA cannot be copied anymore, and the cell simply ages and is no longer able to replicate.

Can we use telomerase to live forever?

Telomerase is thus able to extend the life-span a cell, and has been dubbed the “immortality” enzyme.

Do telomeres cause aging?

Telomere length shortens with age. Progressive shortening of telomeres leads to senescence, apoptosis, or oncogenic transformation of somatic cells, affecting the health and lifespan of an individual. Shorter telomeres have been associated with increased incidence of diseases and poor survival.

What is telomerase and what does it do?

Telomerase allows cells to rebuild lost telomeres. This is not unique to slime molds. It is true for all living things. It’s also true for every part of bodies. The most visible signs of aging are largely the result of telomere shortening and the ensuing cellular senescence (a cell that can no longer divide is called senescent).

What are the benefits of telomerase induction gene therapy?

De Jesus reports that telomerase induction gene therapy “had remarkable beneficial effects on health and fitness, including insulin sensitivity, osteoporosis, neuromuscular coordination and several molecular biomarkers of aging.

Can telomerase reverse tissue degeneration?

At the end of last month, an amazing and promising discovery was made: an enzyme called telomerase could, in mice, reverse tissue degeneration, one of the critical features of aging. Telomerase is actually involved in many important biological functions, from cancer formation to the aging of our cells.

Do telomerase-treated mice develop more cancer?

Importantly, telomerase-treated mice did not develop more cancer than their control littermates, suggesting that the known tumorigenic activity of telomerase is severely decreased when expressed in adult or old organisms using AAV vectors.”

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