Somatic mutation burden in relation to aging and functional life span: implications for cellular reprogramming and rejuvenation

Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2023 Nov 4;83:102132. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102132. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe accrual of somatic mutations has been implicated as causal factors in aging since the 1950s. However, the quantitative analysis of somatic mutations has posed a major challenge due to the random nature of de novo mutations in normal tissues, which has limited analysis to tumors and other clonal lineages. Advances in single-cell and single-molecule next-generation sequencing now allow to obtain, for the first time, detailed insights into the landscape of somatic mutations in different human tissues and cell types as a function of age under various conditions. Here, we will briefly recapitulate progress in somatic mutation analysis and discuss the possible relationship between somatic mutation burden with functional life span, with a focus on differences between germ cells, stem cells, and differentiated cells.PMID:37931583 | DOI:10.1016/j.gde.2023.102132
Source: Current Opinion in Genetics and Development - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Source Type: research