Why 10 Extra Years Could Mean A Lot
Practitioners of Calorie Restriction often endure years of light hunger in hopes of adding a few years to their time on this planet. It only seems worth it, however, if the payoff is large.
Genes Discovered That Can Slow Cell Division And May Fight Cancer
Cancer cells differ from normal cells in, among other things, the way they divide. When a normal cell complies with a signal telling it to divide, it also begins to activate a “braking system” that eventually stops cell division and returns the cell to a resting state. When that braking system is faulty, uncontrolled cell division and the growth of cancer can result. Weizmann Institute scientists studied this system of brakes, and identified a number of the genes involved.According to the study’s findings, which appeared in Nature Genetics online, aberrations in the activities of these genes are tied to certain types of cancer, as well as to the relative aggressiveness of the cancer. These insights may, in the future, lead to the development of ways to restore the brakes on runaway cell division and halt the progression of cancer.
Every couple of extra years you live could help you live past the discovery of something that could give you another couple.