By Technology Networks | Cell Science –
Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) have identified key changes to both chromosome structure and gene expression that affect stem cell function during aging. Using fruit flies, they found that these changes led to stem cell exhaustion, which prevents stem cells from multiplying. The findings, published in iScience on September 9, provide the first evidence of an independent exhaustion signal and enhance our understanding of how the delicate balance between stem cell exhaustion and proliferation is disrupted in normal aging.
When organs like the kidneys or intestines are damaged, the stem cells within them multiply and transform into the specific parts of the organ that need replacement. As animals — including humans — age, this process can malfunction.
