Mitochondria and Aging
The New Scientist takes a look at mitochondria and their role in degenerative aging: "Pinning down the molecular changes that underlie the ageing process is not easy. But it has long been suspected that mitochondria, the energy-generating structures within almost every cell of the body, play a key role. And in the past couple of years, researchers have produced strong evidence that this is indeed the case, that the decline of mitochondria determines when our bodies begin to crumble." A number of groups are making progress in the development of biotechnologies capable of either repairing, moving or replacing damaged mitochondrial DNA. This is encouraging for those of us whose future health and longevity depends on the outcome of this research.
Link: http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg18925341.500