Zucchero Theresa, Ahmed Shawn
Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA.
Exp Gerontol. 2006 Oct;41(10):992-1000. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2006.06.057. Epub 2006 Oct 17.
Human lifespan is limited by aging of both mitotic and post-mitotic cells. These two forms of aging may occur by distinct or overlapping mechanisms. Telomere erosion has been shown to limit the proliferative lifespan of human somatic cells. Other vertebrates, such as mice, possess robust telomerase activity in most cell types and their somatic cells display finite replicative lifespans as a consequence of other forms of macromolecular damage. Genetic analysis in humans, mice and yeast has provided clues regarding pathways that may affect a cell's replicative lifespan. In addition, analysis of the means by which germ cells maintain their effervescent character may provide a deeper understanding of how replicative aging occurs in somatic cells.
人类寿命受到有丝分裂细胞和有丝分裂后细胞衰老的限制。这两种衰老形式可能通过不同或重叠的机制发生。端粒侵蚀已被证明会限制人类体细胞的增殖寿命。其他脊椎动物，如小鼠，在大多数细胞类型中具有强大的端粒酶活性，并且由于其他形式的大分子损伤，它们的体细胞显示出有限的复制寿命。对人类、小鼠和酵母的基因分析提供了有关可能影响细胞复制寿命的途径的线索。此外，对生殖细胞维持其活跃特性的方式进行分析，可能会更深入地了解体细胞中复制性衰老的发生机制。
