I am not sure if this is the correct group to propose this question to, but
I need to start somewhere. As I understand, as multi-cellular animals cell
divide to reproduce, the ends of the telomeres shorten. In other words, the
cell line ages. After a finite number of divisions the cell can no-longer
make accurate healthy daughter cells. I believe this was brought up with the
cloning news of Dolly the sheep. If this is true then how is it single cell
animals can continue to make copies of it self without dividing the species
into oblivion? I have asked a geneticist in the department where I work,
but he could not seem to come up with an answer. Have I "stumped the
experts" or is this a question someone somewhere is pondering in a research
lab?
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Thank You
J Ventimiglia
