Chinese scientists have genetically engineered stem cells capable of rejuvenating the health, including the cognition, of aged macaques.
Key Points:
- “Super stem cells” improve the memory of monkeys while protecting against neurodegeneration.
- The super stem cells prevent age-related bone loss while rejuvenating over 50% of the 61 tissues analyzed.
- Treatment with stem cells reduces inflammation and senescent cells (cells that accumulate to promote aging).
While small in number, our adult stem cells play a crucial role in regenerating our lost or damaged tissues, rebuilding our body cell by cell. However, with age, our bodies become riddled with inflammation, hardly providing an environment capable of keeping our stem cells healthy. Eventually, our stem cells lose their regenerative capacity, contributing to degenerative aging.
Full article:
Paywalled paper:
Senescence-resistant human mesenchymal progenitor cells counter aging in primates
This study provides initial evidence that genetically modified human mesenchymal progenitors can slow primate aging”