Telomeros: The clocks of life

The human species has been able to increase its life expectancy year after year, however our biology places a limit on us.And the cumulus of damage in cells product of aging prevents our body from existing indefinitely, our life time is controlled by a kind of hourglasses...How long does we have left to live ? Can we be able to cheat the clock ? Come and discover more about telomeros.

What are telomeros?

All human beings have 46 chromosomes which are arranged in 23 pairs ; In general, it can be said that the shape of the chromosomes is similar to the letter "X", the chromosome is composed of long and short arms, other important parts are the centromere (central part that joins the arms) and the telomero (extreme part of the arms).

These telomeres are sequences of repeated DNA that are located at the ends of the chromosomes as " Capuchon ”, preventing them from deteriorating or merging with other chromosomes, which would cause serious genetic problems .Telomeres play a fundamental role during the cell division , the Shortening of telomeres during this process is inevitable and limits the number of times a normal cell can replicate , approximately 50 throughout life.The minimum size that a functional telomere can have is known as the limit of Hayflick and indicates that when the cell reaches smaller sizes it will begin its death process .Also being the telomere of chromosome 3 the shortest of the whole game, it is thought that it could be the trigger of cell death.

In other words we could say that very short telomeres allow a smaller amount of divisions causing a reduced longevity and on the contrary longer telomeres involve greater longevity .When we are born there are no significant differences between the length of the telomeres of men and women, however, as aging occurs, the telomeres of women end up being longer than in men, this phenomenon is still unexplained but could be the reason why Women tend to live longer years than men.

How to repair telomeres?

The secret to a longer life lies in the length of the telomeres, then being able to control the size of the telomeres and keep them in a good size could give us more years of life, since it turns out that we are not so far from controlling the telomeres thanks to the discovery of the enzyme 'telomerase' whose function is to lengthen and maintain telomeric regions.

Telomeros: The clocks of life

Experiments in mice have demonstrated the ability to increase the life of these animals even in a 24% after a treatment in which the production of the enzyme telomerase was induced.However, the danger is latent since if the telomerase concentrations are very high, it could ac tivar the tumor cells and cause cancer since they favor the immortality of malignant cells.Then the success of this therapy focuses on being able to extend life by maintaining the telomeres without producing cancer.

Likewise, Telomerase is normally active in fetal cells and after birth it is gradually deactivated in all cells except in normal stem cells and in some cells of the immune system.On the other hand, sperm and ovules already they have long telomeres and do not have telomerase activity.

Future applications

The immediate application is to test the effectiveness of drugs telomerase inhibitors as a possible antitumor therapy, alleviate the diseases associated with aging by re-introducing telomerase into cells with short telomeres, tissue production and differentiation in vitro from adult stem cells, which also need telomerase to divide indefinitely.

Telomeros: The clocks of life

The most promising application focuses on delaying aging, a common cause that triggers the appearance of diseases as the resistance to insulin or cardiovascular diseases, the incidence of which increases with age.Then, if we treated the aging of the cells, we could prevent the appearance of these diseases .that the study of the telomere and its telomerase will bring us many surprises in the not too distant future.

If you have been interested in this article, you may want to know more about why we need DNA from a man and a woman.

Comments

Why do I see stars when I sneeze loudly?

Before moving on to the article we would like to remind you that we have launched a YouTube channel and that we would be very happy if you subscribed to watch our videos, you can click here–> Science Daily Online YouTube It can be annoying to watch things that aren't there, whether it's pink lights, shadows or elephants, but when people close their eyes, if they have a migraine or even sneeze, they can see a variety of ghostly lights and sparkles . What is happening? All these luminous visions are caused by the stimulation of the back of the eye, or the optic nerve, which transmits the experience of light to the brain . Inside our eyes is a thick gel, which keeps the eye in good condition.This gel can brush the retina, the part of the eye that creates image it is in our brain .When the brain receives a message from the retina, it interprets it as light.So if there is light or not entering the eye, any retinal stimulation will be interpreted as a spectacle of ...

The mystery of the fatuous fires

Fatty fires. They are talked about in many cultures, countries and corners of the world.They are, in general, small and flame-like lights that arise in the most unexpected scenarios.Floating fires blue, yellow and red. But where do you usually see them? What are these curious scenarios in which they say so-called fatuous fires arise? In cemeteries and in humid places, near rivers or swamps and always at dawn or dusk. Why are they? Are they perhaps chemical reactions of some compounds in decomposition , such as dead animals? Let's look at the subject in a little more detail, inviting you as always to give us your opinions and experiences. What are the fiery fires? Scientists seem to be clear.Fatty fires (ignis fatuus) are actually something normal and explainable.It would basically be about sudden inflammations caused by phosphorus.The fact that they make their appearance in cemeteries or swamps is precisely because in these areas are abundant substances in full d...

Electronic tattoos, future or science fiction?

Technology is something that fascinates us in Science Daily Online. Once we introduce you to the world of nanotechnology, this time we still dive deeper into the world of science fiction.

Leon Jellyfish Jellyfish | Meet this sea monster

The ocean is a place as fantastic as unknown to man, in fact, we know much more about space than the depths of the sea, although over time we have been finding out more and more about what lives beneath the surface.It is also an unfinished investigation, which gives us to think about magical, almost mythological issues, such as giant squid or Craquen himself, which over time are discovered not as fanciful as we thought.Well, among those fantastic animals is the Leon mane jellyfish, the largest species of jellyfish known so far and that has not stopped being great news on social networks for its spectacular characteristics. Well , we have to tell you, in advance, that the discovery of the lion's jellyfish jellyfish is not a thing of yesterday or the day before yesterday, this species has been known for a long time.However, from Science Daily Online we were investigating its characteristics a little teristicas and we were quite impressed , which is why we wanted to make an arti...

Tricks that highly motivated people use to achieve their goals

When we talk about motivation, we talk about that desire that drives us and moves us towards the achievement of our desires and goals.When we are really motivated, it is very easy to stay focused on what we want to achieve, and not easily get discouraged from those inconveniences that may arise.Because we know that we all need a little motivation in our lives, we tell you some tricks that highly motivated people use to always keep their minds and spirits aimed at the goal. Don't miss it! These are some tricks of highly motivated people to achieve their goals They are clear about their reasons They say that knowledge is power.It is not enough to know what, but why, that way you really internalize your reasons and you can get that knowledge to drive you.You must have very clear the reasons why you are pursuing that particular goal or lifestyle. A good trick at this point could be to write the reasons for achieving that goal and consult them when you feel you need a m...

Manage your fears | The RIA method

In the following article we want to talk to you about controlling your fears.Fear is something destructive that, although it exists to keep us alert to possible dangers, usually has not so beneficial consequences.Fear of speaking in public, on a first date to a job interview, and many other situations in which fear is our worst enemy because it usually blocks us. So the next time you have to control your fears, you should follow the researcher's advice of fear Mary Poffenroth and her RIA method that we will explain below. RIA method to manage your fears When we talk about controlling your fears we don't always refer to the sensation you can have when being on the edge of a cliff or facing a wild beast.The researcher Poffenroth explains in her investigation that fear presents itself basically in two ways; real and fictitious fear.The real fear comes from a real threat, a threat against your life, as we said before, a precipice, a wild beast threatening us, a thief who s...

Two meter penguins is it possible?

Penguins .Animals with an endearing air that always make us smile, that awaken that tender feeling when they see their way of walking or when they discover how they take care of their young.you have the occasional stuffed animal at home, or it is even possible that you are a fan of the funny «Penguins of Madagascar». But would you have the same feeling if the penguins measured 2 meters? They would be just as beautiful, there is no doubt about that, but perhaps we would see it with more fear, almost as a threat.So, is it true that there are penguins of such dimensions? Not at all.But we have to make a small nuance: "they existed." In a preterite time, very, very preterite, right in the Upper Eocene , that is, 36 million years ago. The amazing Inkayaku The first physical testimonies of the existence of the giant penguins are in Peru, right in the Paracas National Reserve .It was in 2008 when the remains of this exceptional animal were found.It was a complete skeleto...

What does it say about you to be more cats or more dogs? This research tells you

Do you like cats or dogs more? This is a very common question when talking about pets.And although it seems that preferring one or the other says nothing about us, the truth is that scientific studies on this particular show that deciding on one or another type of pet manifests our way of being.Far from stereotypes, researchers at Facebook set out to analyze the millions of data they handle on the topic of pets and have reached some interesting conclusions about those who prefer the Sweet company of a dog or a cat. What does it say about you to be more cats or more dogs? Really are the owners of dogs so sociable, outgoing, responsible and friendly? And are cat owners, are they more creative, lonely, urban and moody? Facebook has more than 1,500 million users worldwide, being able to know their tastes, interests and social and family circles.To answer these questions about the character of those who prefer dogs and those who prefer cats, their researchers have analyzed the da...

Do you want to have lucid dreams? A study explains how to get it

Who has not imagined to control what it sounds ? Taking the course and taking the dream where you want it is what, apparently, people who have lucid dreams can do.A recent study explains that there are guidelines and techniques that can be followed to get to have that kind of dreams , do you accompany us to find out how to have lucid dreams? The study that explains how to get lucid dreams The lucid dream is one in which the sleeper becomes aware that he is playing while he is still in that process and has the ability to control that experience .It can happen at the moment we go from wakefulness to sleep, and we know that we are ringing for the bodily sensations we have, or during the dream itself.In the latter case, for some reason we "wake up" within the dream and have the option to follow inside or really wake up. Psychologists believe that the health of some of their patients could improve if they could take the reins of your dreams .For years there ...

5 scientific projects in which man made God

Hi Science Daily Online ! Before reading the article we would like you to know a new way to discover our curious world, through Youtube ! We have a channel that we would love to be part of.You can subscribe and get to know it here-> YouTube Science Daily Online! Although the history of science goes back to the very origins of the human civilization, 6,000 years ago, we can really talk about an era dominated by science, or a scientific-technical civilization , since the 18th century, that is, for less than 300 years; However, this period has been sufficient to generate an extraordinary development and to open fields of knowledge in which sometimes man made of God, as in the 5 we discussed below. 5 scientific projects in that man made of God 1.Creation of interstellar dust In 2014 NASA tried to create interstellar dust simulating the conditions that occur in the proximity of a red star when it is dying.For this experiment, NASA researchers tried to reproduce, in a spec...

Science Daily Online

Search This Blog