Betterhumans reports on interesting developments in telomere research. Telomeres serve as protective caps for our chromosomes and regulate planned cell death. They also become shorter throughout the body as we age. "Researchers Mariuca Vasa-Nicotera, Scott Brouilette and colleagues from the University of Leicester in the UK have linked differences in telomere length in humans to a region on chromosome 12." In addition to the aging process, cancer development has been linked to shortened telomeres. Establishing a good candidate gene for telomere length may open the door for genetic therapies to lengthen telomeres - something that biogerontologist Aubrey de Grey considers an important advance in the fight to cure aging.
Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2004-11-04-2