Violation of tissue regeneration

Authors:

A number of scientists researches this mechanism of aging, among them are T. A. Rando, C. J. Hutchison, R. O. Oreffo et al.

History:

Owing to investigations made by L. Hayflick and P. S. Moorhead in 1961, correlation between tissues' regeneration capasity and cell aging was found. Numerous researches conducted since then and up to date allowed to establish that processes of cell aging underlie neurodegenerative diseases, osteoporosis, retinal degeneration, hearing loss, cardiovascular diseases, sarcopenia, decrepitude, diabetes mellitus type II, metabolic syndrome, pulmonary and renal insufficiency as well as carcinogenesis.

Example:

In adult skeletal muscle, where the resident dedicated stem cells («satellite cells») are capable of rapid and highly effective regeneration in response to injury, there is a loss of regenerative potential with age.

Description:

Tissues are maintained through a balance of cellular aging and regeneration. Aging refers to the gradual loss of cellular function. And regeneration is the repair of damaged tissue that allows preserving tissue function in an organism. Tissue regeneration is generally mediated by tissue-specific stem cells, as they maintain the ability to divide and self-renew throughout adulthood, giving birth to a variety of specialized cell types that can replace damaged cells.

With age, there is a gradual decline in the regenerative properties of most tissues. This decline is linked to a decreased number of stem cells, their dysfunction in self-renewal and lineage potential, and/or the inhibitory activity of the local and systemic factors in the aged stem cell niches.

It should be noted that defective regulation of regenerative processes may account for the age-related increase in the incidence of cancer.

Additions and Criticism:

Cell aging is a universal phenomenon. Scientists observed age-related accumulation of the cells unable to divide in the skin, retina, liver, spleen, aorta, kidneys and lings of a human and various aminals (primates, rodents, fish).

Publications:

• Conboy, Irina M., and Thomas A. Rando. «Aging, stem cells and tissue regeneration: lessons from muscle." Cell cycle 4.3 (2005): 407–410.
• Pekovic, Vanja, and Christopher J. Hutchison. «Adult stem cell maintenance and tissue regeneration in the ageing context: the role for A‐type lamins as intrinsic modulators of ageing in adult stem cells and their niches." Journal of anatomy 213.1 (2008): 5–25.
• Smith, James Oliver, et al. «Skeletal tissue regeneration: current approaches, challenges, and novel reconstructive strategies for an aging population." Tissue Engineering Part B: Reviews 17.5 (2011): 307–320.
• Elmore, Lynne W., et al. «Upregulation of telomerase function during tissue regeneration." Experimental biology and medicine 233.8 (2008): 958–967.