Scientists Reverse Aging Process in Mice

A technique developed by Harvard researchers could eventually lead to eternally young but cancer-ridden human beings.

The world’s plastic surgeons are a little nervous today after scientists have revealed that they may have discovered a way to stop people from growing old. While the factors that contribute to aging are not fully understood, a key cause is believed to be the degeneration of telomeres, the protective caps on chromosomes that get shorter every time a cell divides. Researchers at Harvard Medical School managed to slow telomere degeneration in aged mice by injecting them with the enzyme telomerase, causing the mice’s organs to become healthy and functioning again. While a similar process could help humans live much longer, adults naturally stop producing telomerase because the enzyme can cause cells to grow out of control and become cancerous.