Understanding the Odd Science of Aging
CellPublished 1 February 2005Open access
Thomas B. L. Kirkwood
Citations2,003
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score22.61
SNIP7.62
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TL;DR
To understand the cell and molecular basis of aging is to unravel the multiplicity of mechanisms causing damage to accumulate and the complex array of systems working to keep damage at bay.
Abstract
Evolutionary considerations suggest aging is caused not by active gene programming but by evolved limitations in somatic maintenance, resulting in a build-up of damage. Ecological factors such as hazard rates and food availability influence the trade-offs between investing in growth, reproduction, and somatic survival, explaining why species evolved different life spans and why aging rate can sometimes be altered, for example, by dietary restriction. To understand the cell and molecular basis of aging is to unravel the multiplicity of mechanisms causing damage to accumulate and the complex array of systems working to keep damage at bay.
Keywords
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
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