Exosomes are a class of extracellular vesicle, membrane-wrapped packages of molecules that carry a sizable fraction of the chemical communications that takes place between cells. The various types of extracellular vesicle are presently ordered in a taxonomy by their size rather than any more subtle combination of features. Those … Read more
In the interview noted here, Aubrey de Grey of the Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation makes a bold prediction of 12-15 years as to when we might see the advent of the first therapies capable of extending the healthy human life span by a few decades, allowing older people … Read more
Rapamycin and some of the later rapalog derivatives such as everolimus, all of which function via inhibition of mTOR, are arguably the best of the present crop of geroprotective drugs capable of modestly slowing aging and extending life in animal studies. The effects of rapamycin in mice are robust … Read more
Telomerase acts to extend telomeres, the repeated DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes. With every cell division, some of the telomere repeats are lost. Cells with critically short telomeres become senescent or undergo programmed cell death, having reached the Hayflick limit on replication. Some cells employ telomerase to … Read more
Bloodless, heartless calculations of the value of your life are constantly taking place behind the curtains that society politely draws over some of the uglier realities of the human condition. Interactions with insurance companies might be the most visible signs of these calculations, but this is the tip of … Read more
The immune system is made up of many different cell types. Further, distinct populations within those types exhibit a varied range of behaviors. The molecular damage and resulting cellular dysfunction of aging produces complex changes in the immune system, as is the case for all of the complex biological … Read more