>I think that's wrong too. Where did you read it?
I have read that on several sites on the internet. I do not
specifically remember which ones, because I do a lot of surfing and
reading on the net and don't keep track of the URLs.
>That's a popular (I mean among experts) and reasonable view. Might be
>right, might not.
I believe that one is correct, with a little twist. But then again, it
might not be correct. I believe that all the different aspects of
aging which individually are not damaging enough to cause the death of
a human being , when combined together, is what causes the aging
process. But then that leaves us to wonder, what causes all of these
different aspects of aging to occur in the first place? And why do
they occur only slowly during the first part of life and then so
rapidly near the end?
My guess for the answer is that as we age, all of our cells age, their
gene expression changes due to their telomeres shrinking (and at the
same time their heterochromatin shrinking). This causes cells to
repair damage slower than normal, have less efficent free radical
defenses, produce more free radicals, accumilate more waste products
like AGEs and perhaps lipofuscin, and basically to grow 'old' much
faster than if their telomeres did not shorten.
>That's a much less popular (I again mean among experts) view, but it
>can't be conclusively rejected quite yet.
Well, in my opinion it is the only theory, that I have read about at
least, that can "link" together even a few of the different aspects of
the aging process. It may be completely wrong, but I think it really
does need to be investigated.
Someone on a bulletin board I was reading stated the following
"Cellular immortality does not equal organismic immortality" or
something very similar. I totally agree with that. But I do believe
that enlongating the telomeres of an organism would probably be
therapeutic.
>Yes, fewer early deaths. The abstract is on Medline; hit its "Related
>Articles" too for others that may interest you.
Thanks for the information. I will take a look at it. In your current
opinion, if you do not mind me asking, what do you believe is the
cause of the human aging process (or at least most of it)?
Thanks for responding to my posts and questions. I appreciate it very
much.
Live Long and Prosper,
William
>>Aubrey de Grey
