The insulin/IGF-1 pathway which plays a major role in the control of lifespan and aging in animals and humans includes a lot of genes if any gene transformed with single mutation the IGF-1 pathway can increase lifespan and cause human longevity to remain active and youthful much longer than normal. As in different species, yeast, nematodes and fruit flies there are genes homologous with mammalian genes that control in IGF-1 pathway and mutation in any one of them may be affected on lifespan (Tatar et al., 2003). In the study of model organisms, it was found that the IGF-1 pathway consists of ligands, receptors, insulin receptor substrates, phosphoinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) system, AKT kinases, and forkhead transcriptional factors.
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These pathways are more complex than invertebrate. Mutations that in GH deficiency or in growth hormone receptors cause decreased size, lower insulin levels, increased stress resistance and extend lifespan (Bartke, 2008). Whereas GH is mediated through IGF-1 and effect on lifespan in these mice may be mediated by this pathway. Heterozygous deletion mutations of the IGF-1 receptor (IGF1R) gene causes a little reduction in size but a similar phenotype of improved stress resistance and longevity in females only (Holzenberger et al., 2003). But in dogs, there is no evidence that IGF-1 signaling regulates lifespan because dog breeds have a strong inverse correlation with body size (Patronek et al., 1997). Derangement of the insulin receptor (INSR) gene in most tissues leads to insulin resistance and shortened lifespan in mice (Okamoto and Accili, 2003); but homozygous deletion mutation in this gene specific to fat cells have the extended lifespan in both sexes (Bluher et al., 2003). These results indicate that tissue-specific effects are important for these pathways. Where a knockout of the downstream signaling adapter protein (IRS1) also resulted in increased lifespan (Selman et al., 2008).
There are several mechanisms demonstrated that the IGF-1 may affect aging with DAF-16/FOXO which stimulates the transcription of heat shock protein genes that related to stress resistance (Murphy et al., 2003). Moreover, FOXO3A gene can operate as a checkpoint on cell cycle
Scientist have seen that telomerase expressing clones have no difference in karyotype but have a long lifespan by 20 doublings. With this research, cells have been seen to have a very youthful looking state for much longer. A last area of study is the hypothalamus of the brain. This part of the brain controls reproduction, growth, metabolism, and aging. This is where many of the age related diseases occur. The study of this area can lead to many advancements in age related diseases that can help people live longer. Though this area of study does not have many advancements it holds promising results. Though there have been numerous advancements, many people ask the question whether people need to live longer because of an already over populated Earth.
The TP53 gene encodes a 53 kDa protein [18] that is involved in mediating cellular responses to various forms of stress signals [22]. Following these signals, the biological responses mediated by P53 can be attributed to its ability to act as a tetrameric transcription factor promoting the expression of genes involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, DNA repair,
On a molecular level, fat tissue is normally the largest organ in humans and is involved in mechanisms and pathways that deal with longevity. Fat tissue is not only involved in energy storage but is also important in immune and endocrine function, thermoregulation, mechanical protection, and tissue regeneration (Tchkonia et al., 2010). Adipose tissue is able to protect against infection and trauma. It is also able to produce and activate hormones, including IL-6, IGF-1, and glucocorticoids, as well as prevent heat loss (Tchkonia et al., 2010). Throughout life, changes in fat distribution and function is constantly occurring and in older individuals, these changes correspond to a number of health disorders like hypertension, cancers, cognitive dysfunction, and diseases like diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes, as previously noted (Tchkonia et al., 2010). As people age, their body composition increases in fat mass and decreases in muscle mass, regardless of their body weight or BMI (Dorner and Rieder, 2011).
Humans undergo several stages during their lifetime including growth, development, reproduction and senescence. Senescence is defined as the deteriorative biological changes that organisms experience as they age eventually leading to death. These changes include low metabolism, a weak immune system, memory loss, poor vision and loss of hearing. Senescence begins in humans during their post-reproductive years. However, gerontology research has shown that individuals who reproduce late have longer life spans compared to individuals who reproduce early. Nonetheless, it does not indicate that senescence is inevitable. All organisms experience senescence,
National Institutes of Health in a study called the Hawaii Lifespan Study. The research focused on the human homologue of DAF-]6 which includes a protein group FOXO (Fork head box transcription factor) that functions as a sensor in the IIS pathway, as it has been shown to influence lifespan across a number of species. The researchers conducted a nested case control study on five candidate genes (ADIPOG, FOXO1A, FOXO3A, SIRT and COQ7), with FOXO3A found to have a significant impact in healthy human ageing and longevity. This research article is useful as it is a long term study based on finding the genetics responsible for determining longevity and healthy ageing. The author’s research is limited as it is only conducted on a homogeneous male population and more in depth data is needed by performing similar studies on other populations and
It is a known fact that all measures of physiological function decline in human aging. While genetics certainly play a role in the declining of physiological function with age, it can be argued that a fundamental part of aging can be reflected by chemical processes resulting in the appearance of harmful side products of the normal metabolism over time. When enzymes speed up reactions it is harder to slow them down. At the same time side reactions are constantly occurring and more and more unwanted side products are continuously being formed.
Type 2 diabetes is a constant condition that influences the way the body forms glucose and is the most widely recognized kind of diabetes. It creates when the body gets to be impervious to insulin or when the pancreas quits delivering enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that originates from the organ arranged behind and beneath the stomach (pancreas). Nobody knows precisely why this happens, in spite of the fact that hereditary qualities and ecological variables, for example, abundance weight
In order to better understand aging-associated diseases, it is first necessary to define what aging is. Aging is a complex, multifactorial process of harmful mutations in cells and tissues that are accumulated over time and result in an increased risk of disease and, eventually, death (Tosato, Zamboni, Ferrini, & Cesari, 2007, p. 401). Contrary to the belief that aging can be cured through medical advances, it is scientifically accepted that, while human life expectancy has increased, the human life span has remained largely unchanged for the past 100,000 years (Tosato et al., p. 401). Therefore, future developments in aging research ought to focus on addressing treatment and prevention of major aging-associated diseases that will
rBGH is a synthetic cow hormone that acts on the mammary gland to help it take up more nutrients from the bloodstream and therefore increase milk production. To stimulate this production of milk, another hormone, known as insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) is additionally increased. IGF-1 subsequently stimulates growth in cells throughout the cattle’s body, leading to unnatural development rates, strengthening of tissues and building of the muscle tissue. If increased dramatically, IGF-1 may influence the development of certain tumours when consumed by humans. Originating within tissues, cancer cells continue to grow and divide, becoming, over time, increasingly less dependent to the signals from other cells. These cells may become resistant to cell death – apoptosis – and continue to divide whilst metastasising to new sites within the body. It is this greater concern of uncontrolled cell division that the issue of feedlots producing meat with unacceptable levels of hormones is raised to the Australian public.
Weight: The more fatty tissue you have, the more resistant your cells become to insulin.
In their lab report Dietary Restriction in Drosophila, Piper, Mair, and corresponding author Partridge, biologist at University College London, constructed an experiment around the life span of the Drosophila, commonly known as the fruit fly. The purpose of this experiment was to extend lifespan of the adult Drosophila by implementing Dietary Restriction. Lifespan had been extended to the fruit flies by restriction of the availability of live yeast or by dilution of the whole food medium. This study was conducted to investigate mechanisms of ageing and development within an organism. This report will give a light to anyone wishing to study the mechanisms and aging and development within any species to enhance their scientific knowledge.
The way God created us as humans is a life cycle where eventually late adulthood comes with the biology of aging. Santrock (2013) describes five different theories of why humans age (p. 541). The evolutionary theory explains that aging is more of a natural selection process, and diseases occur in the elderly because they “would have been eliminated” if they were in younger people (Santrock, 2013, p.541). Cellular clock theory describes how cells get tired of dividing after they have been reproducing for so long (Santrock, 2013, p.541). Free-radical theory explains when “cells metabolize energy the by-products include unstable oxygen molecules known as free radicals” (Santrock, 2013, p.541). The unstable oxygen molecules can damage DNA and other structures inside the cell (Santrock, 2013, p.541). Mitochondrial theory describes how aging occurs because of the mitochondria essentially wearing out and becoming less efficient (Santrock, 2013, p.542). Mitochondria are the cell’s “power house,” and they convert energy inside the cell (Bailey, 2008). The last theory, hormonal stress theory, illustrates the effects of stress, especially long term stress, on aging (Santrock, 2013, p.542). Stress released hormones which depress the immune system making people more susceptible to disease (Santrock, 2013, p.542). There are many theories about why human’s age, and all of them may be true, but regardless aging is inevitable and so are its effects.
According to theory of aging, free radical interferes in this case. Aging is the apparently unavoidable decrease in physiologic function that happens after some time. At least four main theories of aging have been discussed that imply to clarify much or majority of the reason of biological aging:
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that "occurs when the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose to enter the cells of the body and generate the body's energy" (Ebony, 115). Diabetes is a disease that affects approximately 3% of the world' population. In American alone, 10.3 million people report having diabetes, while an estimated 10 million more individuals may have undiagnosed diabetes (Morwessel, 540). The gene for diabetes is located in the HLA region on chromosome 6, and the most probable organization of the responsible gene is on a 19-kb region of INS-IGF2, which affects HLA-DR4 IDDM susceptibility. Diabetes Mellitus, was first diagnosed in the year 1000 BC, by the
Aging is the process of becoming older, as we age, multiple mutations occur that concern all the processes of aging well as it compromising a number of different genes. There are many theories of biological aging, such as the Cellular Aging Theory, Immunological Theory, and the Wear and Tear Theory. The Cellular Aging theory describes the process of aging in which cells slow their number of replication, thus giving each species a “biological clock that determines its maximum life span” and how quickly one 's health will deteriorate(Hooyman, 42). After a certain number of years, each cell which follows an apparent biological clock starts to replicate itself less, thus the specific individual or species slowly deteriorates. This theory gives