Aging

The biology of senescence

 Somatic Mutation
• Genetic mutations occur and accumulate with
age in the somatic cell causing the cell to:
– Deteriorate
– Malfunction
• Accumulation of mutations result in :
– Damage to the DNA
The theory states that aging is an imbalance between
DNA’s ability to repair itself and accumulating DNA
damage.
– When the damage exceeds the repair, the cell
malfunctions and this can lead to senescence.
DIVISION OF THE LIFE SPAN
Both human and animal’s life is often divided into various ages

1) Juvenile[via infancy/childhood/adolescence(0-19)]
2) Early adulthood(20-39)
3) Middle adulthood(40-49)
4) Late adulthood(60 and rest of the life)

Ages can also be divided into decades

Terms ages
1) Denarian 10-19
2) Vicenarian 20-29
3) Tricenarian 30-39
4) Quadragenarian 40-49
5) Quinquagenarian 50-59
6) Sexagenarian 60-69
7) Septuagenarian 70-79
8) Octogenarian 80-89
WHAT IS SENESCENCE?
Senescence refer to state or process of ageing.

There are different types of senescence. They are

1) NEGLIGIBLE SENESCENCE :
Numerous species show very low sign of ageing this is known as
negligible senescence for e. g fishes like lake trout and the rock fish,
invertebrate like sea anemone and lobster.

2) CELLULAR SENESCENCE:
In human and other animals, cellular senescence has been
attributed to the shortening of telomeres with each cell cycle, when
telomere become too short, the cell dies. The length of the telomeres is
therefore the “molecular clock” predicted by hay flick. Telomere length is
maintained in immortal cell for e.g. germ cells and keratinocytes stem
cells but not other skin cell types.
 CAUSES OF AGEING

Ageing can be as a result of animal’s genetic set up and can be due to

environmental factors, nutritional influence, social and psychological
reasons.

1) GENETIC SET UP AS A CAUSE

It is found even under ideal condition an organism is destined to age
and die at particular time. So far, no animal or plant is found to be
immortal. The genetic setup must be influencing this phenomenon
like any other psychological activity of an organism .

2) ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE
The surrounding in which the organism lives affect a lot by a way of
pollution, stress etc.
3) INFLUENCE OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH PRACTICE ON
AGEING
• Nutritional status of an animal can affect the ageing
process. Lack of essential nutritional component needed
for a healthy living can enhance ageing process.
Irregularity of meals, lack of sleep, smoking habits,
alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, tension and
worries etc., cumulatively cause in enhancing ageing.

4) SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCES

• Psychological factors like insecurity, stress etc. can
largely affect the organisms, life span. Stress can be
psychological, occupational and nutritional also.
 PREVENTION AND REVERSAL
• Several drugs and food supplements have been shown to
retard or reverse the biological affects of ageing in animal
model
• Resveratrol: a chemical found in red grapes, have been
shown to extend the Life span of yeast by 60%
• The combination of Acetyl-L-cartinine and α-lipoic acid if
been fed to rat produce a rejuvenating affect.
• Rapamycin: is generally used to suppress the immune
system and prevents the rejection of transplanted organs.
• By using cosmetics also we can look some year younger
 Can you delay or stop aging by taking
vitamins and other free radical scavengers?
• There is no evidence-based proof that dietary
supplements delay or stop aging. This is a big
area of nutrition quackery. BEWARE!
• Remember, there is a lot of evidence-based
proof that taking some supplements
INCREASES cancer rate, for example lung
cancer. Smokers who take beta-carotene
supplements have higher lung cancer rates than
smokers not taking these supplements.
• Therefore, the risk/benefit ratio is in favor of
NOT taking SUPPLEMENTS to retard aging.
 CONCLUSION
1) Ageing is a universal truth of life on earth.
2) Ageing is a process that is witnessed globally i.e.
irrespective of place in any part of the world.
3) Ageing affects all individual of species.
4) But recent development in science and technology
has helped to overcome Senescence to a certain
extent.
The End
 REFERENCES
• 1) Development biology
- Scott f. gilbert
• 2) Development biology
- Leon. W. Broader
• 3) Cell biology, genetics and developmental biology
- k. sharada and Mathew Joseph
4) www.en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageing
5) www.d.sc.discovery.com
6) www.uga.edu.com