Lifespan of neurons is uncoupled from organismal lifespan

Lifespan of neurons is uncoupled from organismal lifespan.

Neurons in mammals do not undergo replicative aging, and, in absence of pathologic conditions, their lifespan is limited only by the maximum lifespan of the organism. Whether neuronal lifespan is determined by the strain-specific lifetime or can be extended beyond this limit is unknown. Here, we transplanted embryonic mouse cerebellar precursors into the developing brain of the longer-living Wi...

Steroids as Central Regulators of Organismal Development and Lifespan

Larvae of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans must choose between reproductive development and dauer diapause. This decision is based on sensing of environmental inputs and dauer pheromone, a small molecule signal that serves to monitor population density. These signals are integrated via conserved neuroendocrine pathways that converge on steroidal ligands of the nuclear receptor DAF-12, a homo...

Double edged effect of gum-resin of ferula assa-foetida on lifespan of neurons

Methylation of ribosomal RNA by NSUN5 is a conserved mechanism modulating organismal lifespan

Several pathways modulating longevity and stress resistance converge on translation by targeting ribosomal proteins or initiation factors, but whether this involves modifications of ribosomal RNA is unclear. Here, we show that reduced levels of the conserved RNA methyltransferase NSUN5 increase the lifespan and stress resistance in yeast, worms and flies. Rcm1, the yeast homologue of NSUN5, met...

Is lifespan determined in utero?

search will most likely reveal numerous curious and provocative associations between health experiences in early childhood and the occurrence of later disease. Reduced exposure to infection in childhood has been implicated as a factor in the pathogenesis of insulin dependent diabetes (IDDM). Caspar Gibbon et al put this theory to the test in a brief but important paper on pages 384–5, which poi...