Calorie Restriction the Fountain of Youth

TAp63: The fountain of youth

The mechanisms controlling organismal aging have yet to be clearly defined. In our recent paper [1], we revealed thatTAp63, the p53 family member, is a critical gene in preventing organismal aging by controlling the maintenance of dermal and epidermal precursor and stem cells critical for wound healing and hair growth. In the absence of TAp63, dermal stem cells (skin-derived precursors or SKPs)...

Calorie Restriction, Longevity and Cognitive Function

In search of the fountain of youth.

In Greek mythology, Klotho spins the thread of life. In human biology, Klotho protein was so named when researchers discovered that mutations that interrupt its normal function result in a shorter thread of life that is attributable to accelerated aging.1 From its initial discovery, the kidney and its role in phosphate and calcium handling have been at the epicenter of the Klotho story. a, b, a...

Calorie Restriction

Calorie restriction, or caloric restriction (CR), is a dietary regimen thought to improve health and slow the aging process in some animals and fungi by limiting dietary energy intake below the average needs. CR is the only dietary intervention which has been documented to increase both the median and maximum lifespan in a variety of species, among them rodents, yeast, fishes and dogs. The life...

Apical meristems: the plant's fountain of youth.

During postembryonic development, all organs of a plant are ultimately derived from a few pluripotent stem cells found in specialized structures called apical meristems. Here we discuss our current knowledge about the regulation of plant stem cells and their environments with main emphasis on the shoot apical meristem of Arabidopsis thaliana. Recent studies suggest that stem cells are localized...