Considering Age-Related Changes in Molecules in the Bloodstream in the Context of Cell Therapies for the Old

Parabiosis studies in which the circulatory systems of an old mouse and a young mouse are linked, and in which the old mouse shows a reversal of some measures of aging, have given rise to a broadening exploration of age-related changes in the molecules carried in the bloodstream. The high level picture of what is taking place here is this: reactions to rising levels of the forms of cell and tissue damage that cause aging include changes in the signal molecules released by cells into the surrounding environment. These are influential on stem cell function, chronic inflammation, and other line items known to be important in aging. The paper here picks out a few such molecules of the many under study and discusses their likely roles and activities. The focus of these authors is on enhancing regenerative cell therapies by finding ways to make the tissue environment more receptive to transplanted cells and their ability to spur greater regeneration. That signaling changes in old tissues dampen stem cell activity is a major concern for the regenerative medicine community. This is one part of a field of research that includes numerous other efforts to try to adjust the circulating levels of these molecules, and thus to try to block some of the consequences of the underlying damage of aging. Like all similar efforts, I have to feel it will be much less effective than actually repairing that damage: in principle that should result in a reversal of the signaling changes. ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs