端粒：揭开细胞分裂与衰老之谜。

Telomeres: unlocking the mystery of cell division and aging.

作者信息

Zanni Guido R, Wick Jeannette Y

机构信息

psychologist and health systems consultant, Alexandria, Virginia.

出版信息

Consult Pharm. 2011 Feb;26(2):78-90. doi: 10.4140/TCP.n.2011.78.

DOI:10.4140/TCP.n.2011.78

PMID:21310705

Abstract

Telomeres are DNA sequences that cap the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from fraying and fusing together during replication. During replication, telomeres lose some of their genetic material but are repaired by the ribonucleoprotein telomerase. Both telomeres and telomerase are linked to cell senescence and apoptosis, and research suggests they play key roles in aging, cancer, hereditary syndromes, and chronic diseases. Several theories of aging are reviewed along with the potential impact of telomerase in developing new treatments.

摘要

端粒是位于染色体末端的DNA序列，可保护染色体在复制过程中不发生磨损和融合。在复制过程中，端粒会丢失一些遗传物质，但可由核糖核蛋白端粒酶进行修复。端粒和端粒酶都与细胞衰老和凋亡有关，研究表明它们在衰老、癌症、遗传性综合征和慢性疾病中发挥着关键作用。本文综述了几种衰老理论以及端粒酶在开发新疗法中的潜在影响。