Harvard scientists reverse the ageing process in mice

[n2doc]

Harvard scientists were surprised that they saw a dramatic reversal, not just a slowing down, of the ageing in mice. Now they believe they might be able to regenerate human organs

Ian Sample, science correspondent

Scientists claim to be a step closer to reversing the ageing process after rejuvenating worn out organs in elderly mice. The experimental treatment developed by researchers at Harvard Medical School turned weak and feeble old mice into healthy animals by regenerating their aged bodies.

The surprise recovery of the animals has raised hopes among scientists that it may be possible to achieve a similar feat in humans – or at least to slow down the ageing process.

An anti-ageing therapy could have a dramatic impact on public health by reducing the burden of age-related health problems, such as dementia, stroke and heart disease, and prolonging the quality of life for an increasingly aged population.

"What we saw in these animals was not a slowing down or stabilisation of the ageing process. We saw a dramatic reversal – and that was unexpected," said Ronald DePinho, who led the study, which was published in the journal Nature.

more

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/nov/28/scientists-reverse-ageing-mice-humans

[annabanana]

1. And we will live long enough to discover whole new classes

of illnesses that we just haven't lived long enough yet to contract.

(I suspect that most cavement were dead by the time their teeth wore out)

[toddwv]

16. I'd rather live a few hundred years and die of a new type of "flu"

than live another 30-40 and wait for my organs to inevitably run out...

[qazplm]

18. as an agnostic

I say give me every possible second, hour, day or year of life. I'm going out scratching, clawing and screaming because my moderately strong but not absolute belief is that this is it, nothingness follows, and in most cases life beats nothingness hands down.

[cliffordu]

2. I wonder if they're giving it to Cheney yet.

:hurts:

[MannyGoldstein]

3. This could be enormous. Enormous. Here's a link to more info:

http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101128/full/news.2010.635.html

[pscot]

7. Mice that never die would definitely be huge

though maybe not in a good way.

[Avalux]

4. Cool, for those who can afford it.

The rest of us will be working through old age, eating cat food and dying without the benefit of regeneration or reversal of the aging process.

[xfundy]

9. I dunno.

Have you seen the price of cat food lately?

[xfundy]

10. I dunno.

Have you seen the price of cat food lately?

[postulater]

5. Uses 4OHT -

That's testosterone.

Oh wait, I just saw an ad on the tv machine saying I might have Low-T.

Holy cow, now I can just get a scrip for testosterone and live longer with a boner!

:sarcasm:

Sounds like they're just creating a need for a drug they can sell!

[Speck Tater]

6. And you think the population boom is a problem now?

If this is successful it could bring about the complete collapse of the human race as a result of the complete collapse of the biosphere. The result can only be what always happens in nature when lifespans are artificially too long: Overpopulation to the point of overshoot followed by a catastrophic population crash. Humans are animals too, just as dependent on the biosphere and just as subject to the laws of nature.

This is without a doubt one of the dumbest, short-sighted ideas ever, and yet 90% of all humans are too stupid to realize just how dangerous that would be. Yet another reason why the human race is doomed to extinction. Humans are just too stupid to survive.

[Gregorian]

11. It's just amazing, isn't it?

We're actually in an emergency to slow down and begin rapidly decreasing in size. And yet it seems most people don't even see that there is an issue here. Unbelievable. I'll just leave it at that instead of ranting about my latest experience going back to a place I hadn't seen in ten years. Not even the same place. Just an ant hill of cars.

[jeff47]

15. Maybe, maybe not

While sudden increase in longevity is indeed a problem in most species, we're in the unique position to understand the problem.

I don't doubt there would be a population spike. However, whether or not that growth continues would not be clear. I know a lot of people who's desire to have kids is at least partially rooted in gaining a measure of immortality. If we remove that pressure, perhaps people would feel less inclined to have kids.

We can already guess there will be a host of cultural changes. "Extreme" sports would probably be less interesting when you're risking a century or two instead of 3 or 4 decades. Not to mention the concept of 'retirement' would pretty much have to disappear. So our current model of "grow up, pair up, procreate, wait to die" would not survive unscathed.

[Speck Tater]

17. "we're in the unique position to understand the problem"

Right! Like we "understand" all the other problem confronting us like global climate change, economic collapse, and simply learning how to get along with each other without blowing up the planet.

You have vastly overestimated the cumulative effective intelligence of the human race. While SOME humans are very intelligent, and about half of all humans are above average in intelligence, by the time you factor in the morons and obstructionists and those who watch Fox News and those who actively resist becoming educated and those who feel compelled to politicize everything, the net cumulative effective intelligence of the species is at the sub-moron level.

[jeff47]

21. You're glossing over everything we have 'solved'

While I understand the desire to feel pessimistic at the moment, humanity has overcome a lot of problems. The problem with your examples is we don't feel the effects personally. On a species level we do, but each individual doesn't experience the problem. Indeed, the problems can not be solved on an individual level - they can only be tackled with collective action. And there's always going to be someone who doesn't want to go along.

Not so with a sudden increase in our longevity. That's explicitly personal. Since we individually would be experiencing the effects, we are far more likely to change because we would see that change as in our own interest. As one example, raising kids is a huge pain in the ass. I don't think nearly so many people would go through the personal hassle and sacrifices required to do that if they themselves were virtually immortal.

[qazplm]

19. stuff like this is probably a long time from fruition

and then it will be very expensive and enjoyed by a few.

By the time a suitable size of people can afford it for it even to be a consideration for population concerns, I suspect we will either have already taken ourselves out or solved some of those issues.
Either way, tell someone who's kid is dying because he can't find a donor for a vital organ that your population concerns trump the ability to regenerate that kids organ.

[brewens]

8. Great! First fully formed human brains, and now they can live forever!

This will not work out well.

[eridani]

12. A couple of things--

The ageing that was reversed was artificially induced in the first place.

"Repeating the trick in humans will be more difficult. Mice make telomerase throughout their lives, but the enzyme is switched off in adult humans, an evolutionary compromise that stops cells growing out of control and turning into cancer."

[donco]

13. I hope they

put this on fast forward.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. Don't let Cheney learn about this.

Let him go quietly into the night.

[Phoonzang]

20. Reversing is one thing, but it's only a matter of time

before they can stop the aging process in humans. We need to start thinking NOW about how we're going to deal with that. I suspect we'll have to institute policies that make China's one child rule look like a ban on jaywalking. That or Soylent Green. Mmmmm....Solylent Green.