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Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Aging and telomeres
« on: 04/08/2006 02:07:56 »
Hi! First-time forum poster, but I've been listening for a few months. I love the show, your accents, but mostly that you involve students below college age. Life habits are developed during that adolescence, and instilling an appreciation for science early is a marvelous thing. We need more science geeks in the world, if for no other reason that other geeks like me will have people to talk geek with!
Anyway, my question is about telomeres. Maybe you've answered this question elsewhere, but how do telomeres relate to aging? I understand that they are segments on the tips of chromosomes that are slightly 'worn' away with each cell division, so they're reasonable measures of the age of a cell, but how does that relate to the age of an organism?
Thanks,
Keri
Anyway, my question is about telomeres. Maybe you've answered this question elsewhere, but how do telomeres relate to aging? I understand that they are segments on the tips of chromosomes that are slightly 'worn' away with each cell division, so they're reasonable measures of the age of a cell, but how does that relate to the age of an organism?
Thanks,
Keri