X-Message-Number: 22665 Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2003 17:00:44 -0400 From: "Henry R. Hirsch" <> Subject: Reversal of cellular senescence October 10, 2003 At an aging symposium held at the University of Kentucky yesterday, Dr. Judith Campisi, Senior Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, reported that cellular senescence can be reversed in normal human diploid cells in culture with the use of the protein p16. Cellular senescence is the cessation of cell division and ordinarily occurs at the "Hayflick limit" of approximately 50 population doublings. Previously, release from senescence, i.e. resumption of culture growth, had been possible only under regimens in which the cells displayed chromosome abnormalities. The results obtained in Dr. Campisi's laboratory constitute great progress toward the goal of reversing senescence. I asked her whether, within the next 50 years, it would be possible, based on her techniques, to reverse aging in a large multicellular organism. She said that was not likely but that reversal might be doable in an organ system, such as the cardiovascular system. We agreed that, ten years ago, we would have considered this impossible. In evaluating Dr. Campisi's positive remark, we should bear in mind (1) that she is talking about an extrapolation of today's biochemistry, not yet-to-be invented nanotechnology, and (2) that she is a world-renowned expert in cellular senescence. Cryonics would be of limited value if aging reversal were not part of the package, so hang in there folks. We have good reason to hope. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=22665