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Telomere Attrition as Ageing Biomarker
Telomeres, the tandem-repeated hexamers at the termini of mammalian chromosomes, form protective complexes in association with specific proteins that together with telomerase, a specialised telomere-synthesizing enzyme, regulate telomere length. Telomere shortening is associated with cellular senesc...
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Published in: | Anticancer research 2005-07, Vol.25 (4), p.3011-3021 |
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Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Telomeres, the tandem-repeated hexamers at the termini of mammalian chromosomes, form protective complexes in association
with specific proteins that together with telomerase, a specialised telomere-synthesizing enzyme, regulate telomere length.
Telomere shortening is associated with cellular senescence and is implicated in tumorigenesis and cancer. Hence, mean telomere
length has emerged as a replicative clock within each population of cells and the tissues and organs they build up in vitro
and, consequently, as a biomarker for biological ageing in vivo. Chronological ageing per se does not parallel biological
ageing, yet accurate and reliable biomarkers are lacking to distinguish between them. The question remains as to whether telomere
dynamics is a determinant or merely a predictor of human biological age over and above chronological ageing. Although several
reports have suggested a link between telomere attrition and ageing phenotypes and disorders, both reference values and a
complete set of determinants are missing. Within this review, current evidence and knowledge on telomere length and telomere
erosion rates reported, are summarised. |
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ISSN: | 0250-7005 1791-7530 |