Racemisation of aspartic acid in teeth will not be very useful. The method
depends on the proteins being laid down and not replaced. However rats teeth
are replaced as they grow older.
A method that may be of use to you is to measure collagen elasticity. This is
old technology and seemed to work in experimental situations very well. There
will be experimental error and it will depend on metabolic conditions (=?diet)
In rats, liver cells get progressively more polyploid as they get older. This
may also be useful. Once again the precision will be poor.
Best of luck, Chris Driver, Oz
Chris Driver, Ph D
School of Biology and Chemistry, Rusden Campus
Deakin University
662 Blackburn Rd
Clayton, VIC, 3168
AUSTRALIA
