Understanding Aging
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What causes aging? According to Professor David Sinclair, it is a loss of information in our epigenome, the system of proteins like histones and chemical markers like methylation that turn on and off genes. Epigenetics allow different cell types to perform their specific functions – they are what differentiate a brain cell from a skin cell. Our DNA is constantly getting broken, by cosmic rays, UV radiation, free radicals, x-rays and regular cell division etc. When our cells repair that damage, the epigenome is not perfectly reset. And hence over time, noise accumulates in our epigenome. Our cells no longer perform their functions well. To counter this decline, we can activate the body’s own defenses against aging by stressing the body. Eat less, eat less protein, engage in intense exercise, experience uncomfortable cold. When the body senses existential threats it triggers longevity genes, which attempt to maintain the body to ensure its survival until good times return. This may be the evolutionary legacy of early bacteria, which established these two modes of living (repair and protect vs grow and reproduce). Scientists are uncovering ways to mimic stresses on the body without the discomfort of fasting. Molecules like NMN also trigger sirtuins to monitor and repair the epigenome. This may slow aging. Reversing aging requires an epigenetic reset, which may be possible using Yamanaka factors. These four factors can revert an adult cell into a pluripotent stem cell. Prof. Sinclair used three of the four factors to reverse aging in the retinal cells of old mice. He found they could see again after the treatment, in the video published on Dec 14, 2019, by Veritasium, as “How to Slow Aging (and even reverse it)“, below:
To slow the rate of aging, these steps are helpful, in triggering longevity genes to maintain your epigenome, to go into ‘repair and protect mode’ rather than ‘grow and reproduce mode’:
- Avoid DNA damage (such as: wear sunscreen, avoid x-ray, etc.)
- Caloric restriction or eat less
- Eat less protein
- Exercise or High Intensity interval training (get heart rate up to 85%)
- Be uncomfortably cold
- Be uncomfortably hot
Among the major superpowers of our stem cells is their ability to self renew. Stem cells can also sense damaged cells and tissues and send signals that promote self-healing. In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman speaks with Dr. William Li about the things that both enhance, and impair, our body’s regenerative abilities, including our diet. Dr. Li shares information on which foods have been scientifically proven to activate our body’s stem cells, in the video published on Sep 13, 2019, by Mark Hyman, MD, as “Can Food Reactivate Your Stem Cells?| Dr. William Li“, below:
In this video,, world-renowned physician, scientist, and speaker to gain insights into how looking after this magical pipework could slow aging, in the video published on Dec 23, 2022, by Inner Self, as “Eat This Thing Everyday | Age Will Almost Stop | William Li (Increase Health & Longevity)“, below:
These foods are good for you: kimchi, mangoes, broccoli sprouts, mushrooms
Dr. David Sinclair, co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School describes a groundbreaking method that can speed up or reverse the aging of cells in the body—at least in mice, in the video published on Feb 3, 2023, by TIME, as “Scientists Are Learning How to Reverse Aging“, below:
If you could decide today… how long do you want to live? In the video published on Oct 20, 2017, by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, as “Why Age? Should We End Aging Forever?” below:
In the video published on Nov 3, 2017, by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, as “How to Cure Aging – During Your Lifetime?” below:
What does the future of aging and longevity hold? Can science hack the human lifespan? Even if we can, SHOULD we…? People aren’t dying as early or as easily as they used to. Innovations in modern medicine, health, and hygiene helped us extend our lives by decades, but what comes next? Would you rather live to be a healthy and hearty 90 or live to be 150 but wither away for the last 60 years? We’ll talk about it in this episode of Far Out. Far Out explores the future of science, technology, and culture and how these changes may affect humanity and life on Earth. The series is hosted by Swapna Krishna, a science journalist, podcaster, and sci-fi writer covering everything from NASA to Marvel, and produced for PBS by PBS North Carolina, the team behind the award-winning PBS series Overview, in the video published on May 26, 2022, by PBS Terra, as “How to Stop (And Even Reverse) Aging“, below:
Today, we talk about stem cells and how we can convert differentiated body cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) by using the Yamanaka factors. Stem cells are special types of cells which have the capacity to self-renew and the ability to generate differentiated cells. Differentiation is the process in which stem cells specialize (eg they become a neuron). In other words, stem cell differentiation means that the potency of a cell becomes more restricted. There are embryonic and adult stem cells. While embryonic stem cells are mostly pluripotent (can become nearly all existing cell types), adult stem cells are multipotent, oligopotent or unipotent. Hematopoietic stem cells are multipotent stem cells, as they give rise to all kind of cells in our blood. For decades scientists thought that differentiated cells cannot be reprogrammed into stem cells. This paradigm however shifted when Shinya Yamanaka identified and activated the Yamanaka factors in fibroblasts (Yamanaka factors are the four genes Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc). In his experiments, Yamanaka infected murine cells with viral particles which contained the Yamanaka factors. As a consequence, the differentiated cells became induced pluripotent stem cells. For the generation of iPS cells by the usage of Yamanaka factors, Shinya Yamanaka was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012. There are numerous possible applications for iPS cell technology (using Yamanaka factors). We can use iPS cells to generate tissues or organs for organ transplantations. In Germany for example, the annual number of post-mortem organ donations in Germany has declined by more than 30% since 2010. One major drawback of using iPS cells, however, is the risk of provoking cancer in the patient. Many of the genes, which are active in stem cells through Yamanaka factors are also active in cancer cells. Therefore, scientists are trying to develop safer protocols for the generation of stem cells (which partially include Yamanaka factors). In 2014, the first clinical study using human iPS cells products was launched. Here, iPS cells were generated from a patient who suffered from macular degeneration. These iPS cells were then transformed into retinal pigment epithelial cells and transplanted into the eyes of the patient. The therapy has resulted in positive results, stopping macular degeneration and improving the vision of the patient. Further studies need to be conducted in order to start the era of iPS cells based transplanation, in the video published on June 15, 2019, by Sciencerely, as “How To Make Stem Cells| Yamanaka Factors“, below:
Nobel Laureate Professor Shinya Yamanaka delivered the lecture ‘A New Era of Medicine with iPS Cells’ at the University of Oslo in September 2017. Professor Yamanaka visited Norway and Sweden as part of the Nobel Prize Inspiration Initiative. There he met scientists in Oslo and Gothenburg, discussing his career, his work and the ethics of stem cell research. Through the Initiative, Nobel Laureates offer career advice for scientists, explain their discoveries and give insights into life after the Nobel Prize, in the video published on Sep 17, 2017, by NobelPrizeII, as “A New Era of Medicine with iPS Cells – Lecture by Professor Shinya Yamanaka“, below:
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
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