The Telomere Theory of Aging
March 21st, 2008The telomere theory, although the most obscure of the well-known theories, holds great promise for age longevity. The reason for this is that the telomeres are a part of the DNA. As most people know, genetics is one of the most exciting, promising fields of research today. Changing or resetting the genetic clock to yield the desired result with reference to anti-aging may be one of the answers to the problem of aging.
First, what is a telomere? A telomere is a sequence of amino acids that are found at the tip of the chromosome of most cells. Studies have found with each cell division, the telomere becomes shorter. After approximately 50 replications (The Hayflick Limit), the telomere was reduced to a mere nub. At this point the cell stops replicating. After cessation of cellular replication, cells began to die. Current theory declares that genes previously covered by the telomere become exposed and active, producing proteins that triggered the tissue to deteriorate (the beginning of aging). It is interesting to note that sperm cells and cancer cells do not exhibit telomere loss associated with replication and death. Recent research has also disclosed that a telomere preserving enzyme called telomarase has been discovered which has the potential of increasing the Hayflick Limit.
Does this imply a Telomerase Therapy in the foreseeable future? This certainly sounds promising, but wisdom maintains that current reliable methods of reducing and reversing the aging process should be followed until more is solidly known, which could be many years.
