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[caliban]

Name: Long-lived C. elegans Mutants
Category: BioScience
Date Added: 20 July 2010 - 05:47 PM
Submitter: caliban
Short Description: None Provided

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[vaelrenx]

This is a great video for anyone looking to get some understanding of the genetics of ageing. Cynthia Kenyon has done some great research, demonstrating the feasibility of extending lifespan through genetic manipulation.

One aspect not covered in these videos that her lab has elucidated: not all cells in the body need to be reprogrammed to achieve life-extension. By introducing some number of (+)daf-16 cells into a c.elegens which is a (-)daf-16 mutant, (daf-16 is a transcription factor up-regulated by, and required for caloric restriction to work) significant life extension results. The (+)daf-16 cells signal the (-)daf-16 cells, synchronizing much of their gene regulation. This means that it MAY be possible to add some extra copies of daf-16 to some stem cells destined for a patient and increase their lifespan without manipulating all 30 odd trillion cells. Good news!