Recent studies have shown that by changing four key genes, known as Yamanaka factors, it is possible to rejuvenate human cells and potentially increase lifespan. This process involves altering the communication between cells and resetting the cellular clock. Research has demonstrated that this technique can be used to restore vision in mice and rejuvenate cells in humans, with one study showing that cells with a biological age of 60 years could be rejuvenated to a 25-year-old state in just 13 days. While the technology is not yet ready for human application, the findings hold promise for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer and diabetes, and for improving overall health and longevity.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. Recent studies have shown that it's possible to rejuvenate cells by 30 years by changing four things.
2. The aging process is the consequence of the breakdown of communication in the cell.
3. DNA expresses itself according to the information it receives from outside.
4. The epigenome is the system that controls DNA and is above our genes.
5. Altering the epigenome can lead to aging.
6. Cells from elderly people can be rejuvenated and transformed into stem cells.
7. Fibroblasts from people over 100 years old were rejuvenated and transformed into stem cells in a 2011 study.
8. The cells were rejuvenated using Yamanaka factors, which are four genes that can change the age of cells.
9. Yamanaka factors were discovered by Japanese researchers in 2006.
10. The discoverer of Yamanaka factors, Shinya Yamanaka, won the Nobel Prize in 2012.
11. Changing Yamanaka factors can allow cells to express genes typical of young cells and produce more functional energy.
12. Mice that used Yamanaka factors lived 50% longer than those in the control group.
13. Dr. Sinclair used Yamanaka factors to restore vision to mice whose optic nerve had been cut.
14. Partial rejuvenation of cells with a biological age of 60 years was achieved in 13 days, making them 25-year-old cells, in a 2021 study.
15. Yamanaka factors can affect the communication between all cells and repair or reduce damage in cellular communication.
16. Yamanaka factors can reduce the risk of suffering from diseases such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, glioblastoma, pancreatic colon cancer, and liver cancer.
17. Cellular rejuvenation allows us to get closer to the regenerative capacity of babies or children.
18. Stem cells can transform into whatever tissue they are to repair damage.
19. Therapies exist that can spray stem cells on a major burn to regenerate the skin almost without leaving scars.
20. Rejuvenating our own cells can repair themselves instead of using stem cells.
Note: These facts are based on the text and may not be universally accepted or proven scientific facts.