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

Will there be a Mega Tsunami in Hawaii?

The possibility of a mega tsunami in Hawaii does not seem to be pulled by the hair, if we consider that most of these catastrophes occur precisely in the Pacific Ocean, and that in the last 12 years we have had at least 3 big tsunamis : the one from Malaysia in 2004, the one from Chile in 2010 and the one from Japan in 2011. Will there be a Mega Tsunami in Hawaii? If you are a reader from Science Daily Online and you live in Hawaii do not panic, apparently the possibility that a mega tsunami hits the Hawaiian archipelago in the next 50 years is only 3%, and this information is derived from a study of 5 years by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), which began just shortly after the 9.0 earthquake that shook Japan in 2011, and was followed by an even more devastating tsunami. The Investi gators evaluated the behavior of the different plates and tectonic faults that cause earthquakes and tsunamis in the Pacific, as well as the behavior of some large tsunami...

10 Fun Facts About Nipples

We all have a pair of nipples, there are even some who have one of more, but how much do we really know about these? 1.The Areola-gasmo is something. Some people experience orgasm by nipple stimulation alone.It's weird, but it happens. 2.Child or girl? Everyone has nipples due to how fetuses develop in the womb: Nipples appear before the sexual organs . 3.And who are you from? The nipples can be of a great variety of shapes, sizes and colors Dark, pink, brown, large, small...Everything is normal! The same goes for the areolas (the colored skin around the nipple). They can be very light or very dark.They can also be as small as currencies of dime or as wide as dinner plates Everything is normal! 4.Montgomery glands The small bumps in your areolas are called Montgomery glands.They are called that by William Montgomery, the first man who described them in an article scientist in 1837.Ah, and they are totally normal and not something to worry about. ...

North Pole and South Pole: 7 differences to know

At first glance, they may seem the same, but if we look in detail we will find differences that make them unique.The North Pole and South Pole represent the extremes of the planet we inhabit, those that suffer the most from global warming and those that have a unique beauty. In Science Daily Online we tell you 7 differences that you should know about the opposites of the Earth . North Pole and South Pole: 7 differences to know 1.Between Contains and oceans The North Pole is surrounded by sea and land , a part of the northernmost part of America and Europe are within the Arctic region.In contrast, The South has nothing but the waters of the Antartico Ocean , thick ice sheets and temperatures so low that some places do not melt during the summer.As a reference, the closest it is to southern Chile and Argentina. 2.With and without population Having more land around it and "bearable" temperatures, in e l North there are more people, flora and fauna, even Santa Clau...

The mystery of prehistoric giant mushrooms

Imagine a primitive scenario , halfway between fantasy and mystery.It is a time where Earth has only two continents: Euramerica , to the north, and Gondwana , to the south.Imagine now that you are walking on a soil almost devoid of vegetation, there are hardly any plants, and your steps explode in the thicket of a rocky stage, where they stand... The authentic giants of the Earth: the prototaxites.These giant mushrooms were like strange mastiffs that could reach almost 8 meters.The higher the height, the greater the possibility of escaping their spores, and hence their sovereignty In these scenarios of Silurico and Devonico , almost 420 million years ago... But, what were they? Trees, bushes? ...The prototaxites were fungi.If you have felt a chill or have been stung by curiosity, do not hesitate to know more about these creatures worthy of appearing in the "Lost World" of Jules Verne. The era in which the Prototaxites, giant fungi, dominated the Earth Scientist...

Solar radiation: how does it affect you?

The sun is a source of health and beauty, but according to the frequency and duration of the exposure we make to solar radiation, the effects may be favorable or not so much.Remember that the effect of Sun is not immediate and can cause some problems that we will detail below. Red, reddish skin The skin redness after exposure to the sun , it can take up to 24 hours to appear, since that is the period of time that the blood vessels need to dilate and allow more blood to reach to the cells affected by the rays.Also, it is also what it takes for the skin to make the “ melanin ”, that is the pigment that darkens our skin. The radiations of the Sun and the ozone layer The radiations of the Sun that are received on the Earth's surface change as it passes through the Atmosphere.There are some radiations that are carriers of high energy content, such as gamma rays, UVC, UVB, etc.The effects of these radiations on humans depend on energy, that is, on the ability to pene...

The real reason why babies cry at night

All of us who have been parents know that the first months of the baby are usually the most intense and exhausting, among other things because the nights of continuous sleep are interrupted for a good time, at least until the baby gets used to sleeping run and in another room, as many pediatricians recommend.And also because you know that it is very stressful when babies cry at night. Here we talk about the reasons that usually explain this crying, along with a new and controversial hypothesis. The real reason why babies cry at night The traditional reasons used to explain why babies cry at night can be summed up in four causes: 1.Sleep dynamics In the first months, the baby goes from a two-phase sleep cycle (active sleep and quiet sleep), to the adult, five-phase ; this transition can generate alterations in the infant, and crying on waking. 2.Hambre Even feeding them well with breast or some replacement of breast milk, especially during the first months , it is likely ...

And you, also "procrastins"?

And you? Procrastines too? If you don't, we are sure that you know someone who does it continuously and that, surely, makes you despair.But what does this disturbing word really mean? Let's give an example: you have been dating a person for a long time, you make plans for the future, you have many illusions and projects, however, your partner never seems to decide.He is unable to formalize your relationship because something like that, not only overwhelms him, but even He is lazy. "Are we not well like that?" I often reproach you. Let's give another example: you may have the classic friend who never seems to finish his studies.It is easy to be an "eternal" university student who faces the responsibilities and anxieties of the working world. And what about people who spend all their time in front of a computer screen letting out "real life" ? Sometimes, it is much easier to let ourselves go, evading responsibilities, than to put means t...

The incredible Feynman technique. Understand anything in 4 steps

Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize in Physics, author of valuable scientific works, including the theory of quantum electrodynamics, was also recognized for his magnificent ability to explain from the most complex to the simplest , in such a simple way that any individual would understand. Behind that there is a methodology that guarantees learning on any subject, in only 4 steps.It is the Feynman technique, a mental model created by the “ great explainer ”, with whom he was able to succeed during his years of academic training at Princeton University.In later years, this same tool made him a great scientific disseminator by getting audiences unfamiliar to his branch to attend the message with absolute clarity. Understand anything in 4 steps with the Feynman technique What are you interested in learning? Is there any matter that arouses curiosity in you and about which you think you have a certain domain? Well, based on the foundation of the Feynman technique, if what you were intere...

What loud music can do to your relationships!

Are you one of those who enjoy music, no matter what genre? And besides, do you love listening to all lungs? Well, a study indicates some interesting things. What loud music can do to your relationships! An investigation sponsored by Apple Music and Sonos , christened "Music makes home", found 30,000 people and selected 30 families from around the world, as reported by Mashable.com. The study I provide each family with a Sonos sound system and a subscription to Apple Music, and I equip the houses with Apple iBeacons for data collection, in addition to giving them smart watches so that each one could measure their beats and their steps, and a Nest Web camera system in order to record their way of life with and without music in their homes. The first week should take place without listening to music, and as I normally saw vian the second week if you had to use the equipment and put the music at full volume, and the observed behavior was surprising. During the fi...

The man who killed 40,000 elephants by mistake

Sometimes people, with the best will , make unforgivable mistakes .This is the case at hand: The man who killed 40,000 elephants by mistake. The man who killed 40,000 elephants by mistake As paradoxical as it may seem, The cause of this disaster was an ecologist convinced: Allan Savory .Allan was born in Rodhesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1935.He belonged to a family of farmers and throughout his childhood he heard that the herds of wild animals ended with the pastures of the extensive African grasslands.Overgrazing was considered for decades the cause of desertification .Because of this, the land was no longer susceptible or of feed the flocks or be cultivated ada .This inevitably led to famine and, therefore, to conflicts between the various human groups that populated these areas. Following that philosophy, between 1955 and 1969 , Allan Savory worked in North Rodeshia and later in South Rodhesia as an independent research and scientific officer .His role was t...

Science Daily Online

Search This Blog