Scientists Reverse Aging Process In Rat Brain Stem Cells (newsweek.com) 34
Scientists who discovered aging appears to be related to the stiffness of the environment where cells live have reversed the process in rat brain stem cells. Newsweek reports: Researchers studied oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in young and old rat brains, and found they were affected by stiffness in the organ caused by aging. These stem cells, meaning they can turn into other types of cell, are found in the central nervous system. The team also found that a protein called Piezo1, which senses how stiff its surroundings are, could be harnessed to trick stem cells into thinking they were in a younger, softer environment. Deleting the protein from the OPCs in older rat brains appeared to make them behave younger. Taking OPCs from older rats and putting them in younger rodents was also found to rejuvenate the cells.
Kevin Chalut, a biophysicist at the University of Cambridge and co-author of the study published in the journal Nature told Newsweek: "The study tells us that aging, at least for stem cells we studied, is not driven by anything intrinsic to the cell. It is instead driven by the environment. This was already known to be a factor, but the true significance here is to show that it is the stiffness of the environment alone that drives the aging of the stem cells. "This is rather remarkable because it suggests an entirely new way of thinking about what controls aging in stem cells, and furthermore, since stiffness is a single factor from the environment, it suggest a means to straightforwardly reverse aging in stem cells'" Chalut explained.
Kevin Chalut, a biophysicist at the University of Cambridge and co-author of the study published in the journal Nature told Newsweek: "The study tells us that aging, at least for stem cells we studied, is not driven by anything intrinsic to the cell. It is instead driven by the environment. This was already known to be a factor, but the true significance here is to show that it is the stiffness of the environment alone that drives the aging of the stem cells. "This is rather remarkable because it suggests an entirely new way of thinking about what controls aging in stem cells, and furthermore, since stiffness is a single factor from the environment, it suggest a means to straightforwardly reverse aging in stem cells'" Chalut explained.
I remember a story (Score:4, Interesting)
I think it was called Flowers for Algernon
And then there was also "the man who wanted stars' (but that one reversed aging in the whole body of a rat - it grew back a leg
Re:I remember a story (Score:4, Informative)
Flowers for Algernon
A classic. I read it last week (again).
The subject is boosting intelligence via brain surgery, not aging or immortality.
An excellent and touching read.
Full text (scan) at:
https://www.sdfo.org/gj/storie... [sdfo.org]
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It's a damn shame that I'm out of mod points. I very much liked the story, thank you! Reminds me of the movie 'The Lawnmower Man'. I think that movie was based loosely on the bible story of Job.
We need answers! (Score:1)
What types of cells did the researchers study? What does the term "stem cells" mean?
You would think that they could put this information at least once in the submission!
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What does the term "stem cells" mean?
You would think that they could put this information at least once in the submission!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell
derp
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And I'm sick of all those articles that presume I know what "Linux" is. Like, hello, they think this is a site for people with an interest in STEM and computers or something?
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I can understand if you don't RTFA, but at least RTFS!!!
These stem cells, meaning they can turn into other types of cell, are found in the central nervous system.
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What types of cells did the researchers study? What does the term "stem cells" mean?
They came from the brain stem, obviously.
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Editors? (Score:1)
J F**king C, who edited this crap?
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Clearly 3 monkeys fighting over a toothbrush.
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Clearly 3 monkeys fighting over a toothbrush.
You forgot to append ,"whose stem cells, meaning they can turn into other types of cell, are found in the central nervous system." to the end of that.
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Researchers studied oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in young and old rat brains, and found they were affected by stiffness in the organ caused by aging. These stem cells, meaning they can turn into other types of cell, are found in the central nervous system. Researchers studied oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in young and old rat brains, and found they were affected by stiffness in the organ caused by aging. These stem cells, meaning they can turn into other types of cell, are found in the central nervous system.
So, those cells, are they stem cells? Also, where are they found? I don't think that was made clear enough.
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Someone who did not read it through before posting. Someone who did not read it through before posting. Apparently.
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Stiff Brain (Score:1)
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So when you're a young man your brain is in your stiffy. When you're an old man, your brain is stiffy.
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Closest thing to irony I've read in a while
So environmental stiffness causes aging? (Score:4, Funny)
More old rats (Score:2)
Just what we need. Older rats in New York have problems with pizza slices, perhaps this will help.
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What I actually wondered about is "What is this 'stiffness'?". I'm guessing that they're talking about cross-linked proteins, but that's a guess. If so then this is experimental confirmation of one of the earlier theories of aging. (It's not exactly clear how it could be treated, though.)
stiffness (Score:2)
And all this time I thought stiffness and age were inversely related....
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for that kind of stiffness it's more like lack of exercise and obesity are the enemies. you get more than rock hard muscles from working out (or working hard...but I push buttons for a living so have to exercise, yuck)
Why?! (Score:2)
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People in the future (Score:2)
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