. a. Mice engineered to block expression of the geneencoding the telomerase protein age at a muchfaster rate than normal and have decreased lifespans. When expression of the telomerase proteinis turned back on in mice that are prematurely old,many negative effects of this aging are rapidly anddramatically reversed. Provide a possible explanation for these results.b. The results of these mouse experiments have ledsome researchers to propose that treatments thatcould lead to overexpression of the telomerase genemight serve as a “fountain of youth” leading to reversal of aging in humans. Why do you think weshould be very cautious about trying such treatments? Your argument should address why it mightbe advantageous to multicellular organisms for mostof their somatic cells not to express telomerase.
. a. Mice engineered to block expression of the gene
encoding the telomerase protein age at a much
faster rate than normal and have decreased life
spans. When expression of the telomerase protein
is turned back on in mice that are prematurely old,
many negative effects of this aging are rapidly and
dramatically reversed. Provide a possible explanation for these results.
b. The results of these mouse experiments have led
some researchers to propose that treatments that
could lead to overexpression of the telomerase gene
might serve as a “fountain of youth” leading to reversal of aging in humans. Why do you think we
should be very cautious about trying such treatments? Your argument should address why it might
be advantageous to multicellular organisms for most
of their somatic cells not to express telomerase.
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