People are having children later than ever before. The average age of new parents in the United States has been rising for at least the past half century. But time is tough on our bodies and our reproductive systems. For instance, as animals age, our stem cells are less effective at renewing our tissues. This is particularly true for germline stem cells, which turn into sperm and eggs. What if there were a way to pause this process?
he researchers also found an accumulation of DNA damage that activated P53, a genetic-damage checkpoint protein that prevents a cell from replicating. Cells typically have a set amount of replication potential: “They can divide only so many times before they get tired and quit,” Montell said. By preventing replication, P53 preserves the potential for that cell to repair itself and resume dividing later.
The results we show in the paper could help reduce age-related diseases or conditions
