Saturday, December 4, 2010

Mouse Fountain of Youth

Discovery news says that a group of mice genetically engineered to age rapidly and grow telemerase when exposed to estrogen tend to recover their youth when exposed to estrogen. Already visions of a technological fountain of youth dance in many a journalist's head. Especially because telemerase is something easily obtainable that you could probably inject yourself with as early as tomorrow if you ordered it this morning.
Ah, but not so fast cowboy. The article also points out that this may be a quirk of the rapid aging genes. So maybe it might help someone with a rapid aging condition, but not provide boundless youth to whoever wants it. Even so, this is a remarkable piece of medicine going on here.

3 comments:

TCG said...

I prefer the fictional Neuromancer method. Where Julie Dean goes to HK every year to have his DNA hayflick limit reset.

But hey who wants to live forever anyway? That would be terrifically boring (I have 1 week of work leave and I'm bored already the 4ft of snow outside prevents me from going anywhere)

Professor Preposterous said...

Presumably when you're tired of living, you stop paying for immortality treatments, become old, and die.
Yeah, this is basically a hayflick limit reseter that maybe works, possibly.

Professor Preposterous said...

PS: Having cabin fever sucks. Send me your email address, so I can give you a preview of tomorrow's article. And maybe anything else I can think of to entertain you.
madengineering@gawab.com

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