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Molecular Mechanisms of Ageing

Molecular Mechanisms of Ageing MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF AGEING by P.E. SLAGBOOM and C. ZURCHER (TNO Institute of Ageing and Vascular Research, P.O. Box 430, 2300 AK Leiden, The Netherlands) There are four characteristics by which ageing in different species is usually described and compared (as reviewed in FINCH, 1990): the maximum lifespan, the median (or 50%) survival age, the initial mor- tality rate (IMR), which is determined by the main cause of death at a relatively young age, and the mortality rate doubling time (MRDT), which expresses the acceleration of mortality and reflects the complex- ity of the ageing phenomenon. The maximum lifespan and the MRDT appear to be specific to the species, even if diverged populations are compared, and harbour a large genetic component. The IMR can vary extensively among different populations of the same species, which may be caused both by environmental influences (if for example a population has many predators) and genetic ones (if a strong genetic predisposition for an early onset disease prevails in a population). Thus, elaborating on the assumption that ageing is, to a large extent, genetically determined, three evolutionary concepts were proposed (summarised by KIRKWOOD, 1985) to explain why we age and die: 1) ageing http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Netherlands Journal of Zoology (in 2003 continued as Animal Biology) Brill

Molecular Mechanisms of Ageing

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© 1992 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0028-2960
eISSN
1568-542X
DOI
10.1163/156854293X00133
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF AGEING by P.E. SLAGBOOM and C. ZURCHER (TNO Institute of Ageing and Vascular Research, P.O. Box 430, 2300 AK Leiden, The Netherlands) There are four characteristics by which ageing in different species is usually described and compared (as reviewed in FINCH, 1990): the maximum lifespan, the median (or 50%) survival age, the initial mor- tality rate (IMR), which is determined by the main cause of death at a relatively young age, and the mortality rate doubling time (MRDT), which expresses the acceleration of mortality and reflects the complex- ity of the ageing phenomenon. The maximum lifespan and the MRDT appear to be specific to the species, even if diverged populations are compared, and harbour a large genetic component. The IMR can vary extensively among different populations of the same species, which may be caused both by environmental influences (if for example a population has many predators) and genetic ones (if a strong genetic predisposition for an early onset disease prevails in a population). Thus, elaborating on the assumption that ageing is, to a large extent, genetically determined, three evolutionary concepts were proposed (summarised by KIRKWOOD, 1985) to explain why we age and die: 1) ageing

Journal

Netherlands Journal of Zoology (in 2003 continued as Animal Biology) – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 1992

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