Technology Review - Published By MIT
Advertisement
« Back 1 [2]

Friday, July 25, 2008

Aging: An Evolutionary Accident?

Continued from page 1

By Emily Singer
smaller text tool iconmedium text tool iconlarger text tool icon

"It's a fundamental finding," says Huber Warner, associate dean for research at the University of Minnesota, in St. Paul, and editor of the Journal of Gerontology. But it's far from clear if this drift is also at work in people, he says. "The most important conclusion from this paper is that the basic mechanism of aging in these two kinds of species is fundamentally different," says Warner. "If it does apply to mammals, it's not as important as it is in nematodes."

Mammals may be more susceptible to accumulated wear and tear, he says, because cells are continually damaged and replaced from a pool of stem cells present in most tissues. Too much stress destroys the ability of stem-cell pools to replace tissue. Worms, on the other hand, are generally stuck with the cells that they've got once they hit adulthood: most cells are no longer capable of proliferating.

Kim's team is now studying the human versions of these genes. While it's unlikely that the same genes are involved in human aging, he says, "I think that the conceptual idea that known human-developmental controls are not maintained as people grow older is attractive and theoretically possible." However, "there is no direct evidence for developmental drift in mammals yet," he says.

If developmental drift does turn out to play a role in human aging, it could be good news for drug developers. Scientists are currently trying to mimic the effects of some life-extending interventions--most notably, caloric restriction (a diet low in total calories but with adequate nutrition)--with drugs. But when it comes to longevity and the diseases of aging, new drug targets are always welcome.

« Back 1 [2]

Tags

aging gene expression longevity

Comments

  • No evidence for developmental drift in mammals?
    Monsterboy on 07/25/2008 at 8:59 AM
    Posts:
    62
    Avg Rating:
    4/5
    How about the fact that otherwise-similar mammals tend to live far longer if they're less preyed upon? Take shrews -- small insectivores that get eaten by everything larger than themselves and live 1-3 years -- versus bats -- small insectivores which are less easily eaten because they can fly, and live up to 30. It's well noted that larger species tend to live longer than smaller ones -- do they think this is purely a function of mass, as opposed to the lower rate of predation that goes with it?
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • I've suspected this.
    Commander_King on 07/25/2008 at 11:57 AM
    Posts:
    2
    Avg Rating:
    3/5
    I've often wondered if aging was a mistake and was never meant to happen.Regardless of what is causing it...be it "rust" (wear and tear) or a wild twist of evolution lets get it figured out so we can fix it.
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Re: I've suspected this.
      z0rr0 on 07/30/2008 at 12:10 PM
      Posts:
      35
      Avg Rating:
      4/5
      ..and once we find the key to immortality, will we entrust it to Mother Theresa or Stalin? Who will be the decider?
      Rate this comment: 12345
      • Re: I've suspected this.
        gabrielg01 on 07/30/2008 at 12:33 PM
        Posts:
        317
        Avg Rating:
        3/5
        If some life extension technologies become practical, then they should be applied in selective manner...let's say, based on one's IQ. If one cannot even pronounce the word 'nuclear' correctly, then we should not try to immortalize such stupidity.

        Living out one's natural life is everyone's right. But life extension should be a privilege. In a world of dwindling resources, it should only be given to people who can put it to good use.'Deciders' are not welcome.
        Rate this comment: 12345
  • disease research you can do on a computer
    ihatesnow on 07/26/2008 at 5:26 PM
    Posts:
    1
    Avg Rating:
    2/5
    http://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Drift?
    mergatroid on 07/29/2008 at 8:55 AM
    Posts:
    20
    Avg Rating:
    2/5
    From birth to about twenty, thirty years of age the growth of the human body is different than from twenty, thirty years of age and onward. Two very distinct types of genetic processes are at work. Perhaps if Kim keeps going his research will bring more information to this idea.
    Rate this comment: 12345
Add New Thread

Related Articles
Advertisement

Current Issue

Technology Review January/February 2009
Lifeline for Renewable Power
Without a radically expanded and smarter electrical grid, wind and solar will remain niche power sources.
•  Subscribe
Save 41%
•  Table of Contents
•  MIT News

Magazine Services

•  Gift Subscription
•  Digital Subscription
•  Reprints, Back Issues, Customer Service

Career Resources

Visit the Job Board and Resource Center to move your career to the next level.

MIT Technology Insider

Stories and breaking news from inside MIT about the latest research, innovations, and startups--in a convenient monthly e-newsletter. Subscribe today
Advertisement

Follow us on Twitter

Twitter

Get Technology Review updates via the web, cellphone, or Instant Messager – Follow techreview on Twitter!
Advertisement

Wire Stories

Advertisement
Advertisement
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES
Advertisement
MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology