Considering the Comparative Biology of Long-Lived Mammals

This popular science article covers some of the high points of the past few decades of research into the comparative biology of aging. Why are some mammals exceptionally long-lived for their size? What are the mechanisms of interest, and can any of those mechanisms inform the development of therapies to extend healthy human life spans? Answers remain to be determined in a concrete fashion for these and other, related questions. Metabolism and its relationship to aging is a very complex area of study, a great deal of the space remains poorly mapped, and as of yet it is hard to say as to whether any of the work in progress is even in principle capable of yielding useful paths to near term implementations in human medicine. Perhaps the most remarkable animal Methuselahs are among bats. One individual of the species Myotis brandtii, a small bat about a third of the size of a mouse, was recaptured, still hale and hearty, 41 years after it was initially banded. "It's equivalent to about 240 to 280 human years, with little to no sign of aging. So bats are extraordinary. The question is, why?" There are two ways to think about this question. First: What are the evolutionary reasons that some species have become long-lived while others have not? And second: What are the genetic and metabolic tricks that allow them to do that? The outline of an answer is beginning to emerge as researchers compare species that differ in longevity. Long-lived species, they've found, accum...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs