Could this be a CURE for ageing? Scientists
find a way of rejuvenating old cells.
Reversing ageing could be a step closer
after British scientists discovered what causes it.
For the first time Newcastle University scientists have
found a possible way to rejuvenate old cells back into younger ones. They conclusively proved that mitochondria, the batteries of
the cells, are essential for ageing.
When mitochondria were eliminated from ageing cells they
became much more similar to younger cells.The discovery that mitochondria are major triggers of cell
ageing brings scientists a step closer to developing therapies to counteract
the ageing of cells by targeting it.
Mitochondria are often referred to as the powerhouses of the
cells as they generate the energy that our cells need to do their job.
The study noted as we grow old, cells in our bodies
accumulate different types of damage and have increased inflammation, factors
which are thought to contribute to the ageing process.
A series of genetic experiments involving human cells grown
in the laboratory successfully eliminated the majority, if not all, the
mitochondria from ageing cells.
Cells can normally eliminate mitochondria which are faulty
by a process called mitophagy.
Scientists 'tricked' the cells into inducing this process in
a grand scale, until all the mitochondria within the cells were physically
removed. Surprisingly scientists then saw the ageing cells, after
losing their mitochondria, showed characteristics similar to younger cells,
that is they became rejuvenated.
The levels of inflammatory molecules, oxygen free radicals
and expression of genes which are among the makers of cellular ageing dropped
to the level that would be expected in younger cells.
Lecturer Dr João Passos of the Institute for Ageing said:
'This is a very exciting and surprising discovery.
'We already had some clues that mitochondria played a role
in the ageing of cells, but scientists around the world have struggled to
understand exactly how and to what extent these were involved.
'These new findings highlight that mitochondria are actually
essential to the ageing of cells.'
The study led by Newcastle University and involved other UK
and US teams also deciphered a new mechanism by which mitochondria contribute
to ageing.
It identified that as cells grow old, mitochondrial biogenesis,
the complex process by which mitochondria replicate themselves, is a major
driver of cellular ageing.
Research Associate Dr Clara Correia-Melo said: 'This is the
first time that a study demonstrates that mitochondria are necessary for
cellular ageing.
'Now we are a step closer to devising therapies which target
mitochondria to counteract the ageing of cells.'The study was published in the EMBO Journal
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Please insert your comments here