Scoggin C H
West J Med. 1981 Dec;135(6):521-5.
Normal cells have only a finite life span before they die. The process known as aging may occur as a result of continued damage to the cell or as a result of expression of predetermined information within the genetic structure of the cell. Both processes lead to progressive cellular dysfunction which is evidenced by the organs of the body as aging. By understanding how individual cells age we will gain insight into how the body as a whole ages. The impact of such knowledge on science and society is a matter of both conjecture and concern.
正常细胞在死亡前只有有限的寿命。被称为衰老的过程可能是由于细胞持续受损,或者是由于细胞遗传结构中预定信息的表达。这两个过程都会导致细胞功能逐渐失调,身体的器官会将其表现为衰老。通过了解单个细胞如何衰老,我们将深入了解整个身体是如何衰老的。这种知识对科学和社会的影响既是一个猜测的问题,也是一个令人担忧的问题。