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Cells age mostly because of telomere shortening. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomere#Telomere_shortening http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomere#Telomere_short

by nazar 15y ago

Cells age mostly because of telomere shortening. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomere#Telomere_shortening http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomere#Telomere_shortening

polyfractal 15y ago
Sorta, but I wouldn't classify it as "aging". It's more akin to automated self-destruction after a certain amount of time. Aging implies a slow breakdown of function, whereas the limit imposed by telomeres is more of a binary event. You're good until you run out of telemoeres, then shit gets crazy and you enter apoptosis because your cell is no longer functioning correctly.
- nazar 15y ago
  Yes, thank you for correction, I used the wrong word. What I tried to say is that telomere shortening is the main cause of cell destruction, and unless its solved, cell death is inevitable
  - ars 15y ago
    I think the idea is that cell death isn't the problem. Cells die all the time and get replaced, that's not really a problem. A problem is cells that don't die, but instead start working poorer.
    - nazar 15y ago
      Or maybe the cells that should die but fail to do so?(cancer cells)
      - solnyshok 15y ago
        omg, so by achieving immortality we would become a sort of cancer in the grand scheme of things?
  - polyfractal 15y ago
    Sorry to correct you again (I'm a biologist...I can't help it!), but cell death is actually a very good thing. Your cells are programmed to die so they don't turn into cancer, or start degenerating into something equally unpleasant. Aging occurs because your body becomes less capable of replacing these cells over time, and either replaces with less robust cells or stops entirely. Or you get cancer.
    - nazar 15y ago
      Hey, I always welcome constructive corrections. Btw, I actually attended International Biology Olympiads twice, but it was too long ago for me to remember the details.(Ever since I was too remote from biology)
      - polyfractal 15y ago
        Awesome! I hope it was a good experience! More people should be exposed to biology, it is very cool and under-appreciated. :)
- samstave 15y ago
  Thats why I think we were built by aliens. They put an expiration date in our DNA. :) We just need to figure out how to diffuse the bomb!
  - jakeonthemove 15y ago
    It is pretty amazing how complicated our bodies are, but I think the expiration date is there to prevent overpopulation - if our ancestors didn't die, the planet would be overpopulated with lazy apes who don't evolve cause there's no need to :-). Once we're smart enough to fully control ourselves and our environment, immortality becomes an advantage - sadly, I don't think we're there yet... Edit: by immortality, I always mean living longer than ~400 years. I'm pretty sure it's impossible to live forever (sooner or later, you'll die of an accident anyway), but living longer and living without any disease should be great...
    - berntb 15y ago
      >>It is pretty amazing how complicated our bodies are, but I think the expiration date is there to prevent overpopulation - if our ancestors didn't die, the planet would be overpopulated That is an argument based on group evolution, largely disproved (some unusual edge cases might exist). I'd recommend reading "The Selfish Gene", it is an incredibly fun journey in beautiful English (Disclaimer: I'm a non-native English speaker.) It will probably change your world view.
      - jakeonthemove 15y ago
        I was assuming, of course, that the drive to reproduce would still be there - but, yes, on a closer look, the reproduction rate would diminish, while evolution would continue for the existing individuals...
    - gte910h 15y ago
      1> Current actuarial tables have us dying by 550-650 even if there was no aging. Stuff like car accidents, slipping in the shower, etc. 2> "I think the expiration date is there to prevent overpopulation" implies evolution has a purpose. You know when you work at a company, and the processes just change over time and change over time and 5 years in no one remembers why you file a tps report before going on vacation? That's what evolution is like: Whatever processes happened to survive. That TPS report may have some value, it may be easily replaced by a more logical item, or it may be completely useless. Just the fact the process of filing a TPS report before leaving for vacation exists, doesn't mean it's necessary for the health of the organization. 3> Populations the world over are manually dropping their procreation rates to near replacement levels. I'm sure many people would drop it further if they had a few hundred extra years. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3201400.html http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3201400.html

by nazar 15y ago

Cells age mostly because of telomere shortening. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomere#Telomere_shortening http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telomere#Telomere_shortening

polyfractal 15y ago

Sorta, but I wouldn't classify it as "aging". It's more akin to automated self-destruction after a certain amount of time. Aging implies a slow breakdown of function, whereas the limit imposed by telomeres is more of a binary event. You're good until you run out of telemoeres, then shit gets crazy and you enter apoptosis because your cell is no longer functioning correctly.

nazar 15y ago
Yes, thank you for correction, I used the wrong word. What I tried to say is that telomere shortening is the main cause of cell destruction, and unless its solved, cell death is inevitable
- ars 15y ago
  I think the idea is that cell death isn't the problem. Cells die all the time and get replaced, that's not really a problem. A problem is cells that don't die, but instead start working poorer.
  - nazar 15y ago
    Or maybe the cells that should die but fail to do so?(cancer cells)
    - solnyshok 15y ago
      omg, so by achieving immortality we would become a sort of cancer in the grand scheme of things?
- polyfractal 15y ago
  Sorry to correct you again (I'm a biologist...I can't help it!), but cell death is actually a very good thing. Your cells are programmed to die so they don't turn into cancer, or start degenerating into something equally unpleasant. Aging occurs because your body becomes less capable of replacing these cells over time, and either replaces with less robust cells or stops entirely. Or you get cancer.
  - nazar 15y ago
    Hey, I always welcome constructive corrections. Btw, I actually attended International Biology Olympiads twice, but it was too long ago for me to remember the details.(Ever since I was too remote from biology)
    - polyfractal 15y ago
      Awesome! I hope it was a good experience! More people should be exposed to biology, it is very cool and under-appreciated. :)
samstave 15y ago
Thats why I think we were built by aliens. They put an expiration date in our DNA. :) We just need to figure out how to diffuse the bomb!
- jakeonthemove 15y ago
  It is pretty amazing how complicated our bodies are, but I think the expiration date is there to prevent overpopulation - if our ancestors didn't die, the planet would be overpopulated with lazy apes who don't evolve cause there's no need to :-). Once we're smart enough to fully control ourselves and our environment, immortality becomes an advantage - sadly, I don't think we're there yet... Edit: by immortality, I always mean living longer than ~400 years. I'm pretty sure it's impossible to live forever (sooner or later, you'll die of an accident anyway), but living longer and living without any disease should be great...
  - berntb 15y ago
    >>It is pretty amazing how complicated our bodies are, but I think the expiration date is there to prevent overpopulation - if our ancestors didn't die, the planet would be overpopulated That is an argument based on group evolution, largely disproved (some unusual edge cases might exist). I'd recommend reading "The Selfish Gene", it is an incredibly fun journey in beautiful English (Disclaimer: I'm a non-native English speaker.) It will probably change your world view.
    - jakeonthemove 15y ago
      I was assuming, of course, that the drive to reproduce would still be there - but, yes, on a closer look, the reproduction rate would diminish, while evolution would continue for the existing individuals...
  - gte910h 15y ago
    1> Current actuarial tables have us dying by 550-650 even if there was no aging. Stuff like car accidents, slipping in the shower, etc. 2> "I think the expiration date is there to prevent overpopulation" implies evolution has a purpose. You know when you work at a company, and the processes just change over time and change over time and 5 years in no one remembers why you file a tps report before going on vacation? That's what evolution is like: Whatever processes happened to survive. That TPS report may have some value, it may be easily replaced by a more logical item, or it may be completely useless. Just the fact the process of filing a TPS report before leaving for vacation exists, doesn't mean it's necessary for the health of the organization. 3> Populations the world over are manually dropping their procreation rates to near replacement levels. I'm sure many people would drop it further if they had a few hundred extra years. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3201400.html http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3201400.html