Life Expectancy Could Grow To 80% With Anti-Ageing Breakthrough
Do you want to be forever young? A new breakthrough study may indicate that we may soon know how. Researchers from the University of California San Diego conducted a study to reprogram the cellular ageing process. The study concluded that they were able to increase the lifespan of yeast cells by 82% — and claimed that the same could be done on a cellular level in humans. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Science on Thursday.
Yeast cells are single-celled microorganisms that undergo an ageing process similar to that of human cells — and while the latter is more complex, the experts are optimistic that the science can be relayed. Yeast cells have a transcriptional toggle switch that allows them to die in one of two ways: nucleolar decline (splintering of the cell’s protein-making properties) or mitochondrial decay (waning of the cell’s energy production). Those pathways naturally stop one another; as one takes place, the other is eliminated.
However, the researchers were able to rewire the transcriptional switch into a negative-feedback loop, which caused the yeast cells to fluctuate between the two ageing states — increasing their life span by 82%. Cellular ageing is a fundamental biological process and an underlying driver for many diseases.
This research aligns with the growing movement of scientists who believe that ageing can be treated and managed like a disease. While the anti-ageing industry has always had a market, experts are increasingly delving into the science of longevity. Celebrities and wellness trends are doing the same by focusing on movements like biohacking and treatments including cryotherapy.
