Scientists May Have Found The Key Cellular Process Behind Aging in Animals [View all]

A study on worms led by researchers from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in the US has uncovered a previously unknown adaptation to aging that actively remodels one of the largest and most complex structures in our cells.

Not only does the finding help clarify the cellular mechanics of aging, but it may also hint at a possible drug target for age-related chronic diseases.

As humans and other animals grow old, our cells modify their endoplasmic reticulum (ER) – an extensive transport system that plays a critical role in various biochemical processes such as protein folding.

Cells carry out this modification using ER-phagy, a mechanism only discovered in recent years.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/scientists-may-found-key-cellular-210041586.html