Telomere length measurement and ANTI AGING therapies.

Every time cells replicate, telomeres shorten until they reach a point where the cells can no longer divide properly. Cells with such short telomeres usually become senescent or enter apoptosis, and eventually die. Therefore, telomere length is a crucial biomarker providing insight into understanding organismal aging.

Telomere lengths are frequently measured in biomedical research. Recently, we developed a singleplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) assay for relative average telomere lengths, which uses far less DNA and requires much less time to perform than the traditional Southern blot method for measuring Terminal Restriction Fragment (TRF) lengths.

A new procedure can quickly and efficiently increase the length of human telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that are linked to aging and disease, according to scientists.