In article <44ar3h$klp$1 at mhadf.production.compuserve.com>, JULIO KARWOSKI <102225.2745 at CompuServe.COM> writes:
> George: Responding to your inquiry about telomeres I should say
> that Allsop & Harley have found an average critical telomere
> length to be 0-2kbp at the onset of senescence. Also, at onset of
> senescense there are still many telomere sequences left on the
> average but since telomeres are heterochromatic, the prevailing
> theory is that the heterochromatin traps the first few genetic
> bases which will become silent. Yes, at this point senility is
> still reversible according to experimental evidence by J.W.Shay
> and W.E.West because actual genetic sequences have not been lost
> just yet. Your question about a senescent factor being expressed
> is partially right, actually there is some evidence of an anti
> senescent regulatory factor expressed by those first few genes
> but when they become engulfed in heterochromatin they become
> silent and senescence will occur. This is a hot area in biology
> and its interesting to know that some people like yourself are
> interested to learn more about whats making us old.
> best regards,
>> Julio Karwoski
... so you inject your rat with telomerase. What happens? Dead rat?
Ian H