For more than 50 years I’ve been fascinated by one of the deepest mysteries in biology: why do cells age, and how is rejuvenation possible?
This talk explores two predominant theories — one proposing that all cells inevitably wear out, the other that certain cells are potentially immortal. Recent discoveries suggest these seemingly contradictory theories might, in fact, be reconciled in a new synthesis which sheds fresh light on the ageing and rejuvenation of yeast, bacteria, stem cells, plants, and also helps explain why cancer cells are cancerous – they hijack a rejuvenation system that is normally expressed only in the very earliest stages of embryology.
This talk is based on a review article of mine published in 2022 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.
Proceedings of the Royal Society (2022): “Cellular Senescence, Rejuvenation and Potential Immortality” — https://www.sheldrake.org/files/pdfs/papers/Cellular-Senescence-Rejuvenation-and-Potential-Immortality.pdf
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