Senescence is a result of excessive cell size
Researchers have discovered in a recent study [1] the reason cells are defective when they become too large. They also found out why proteins fail to be produced when cells reach a larger size than their healthy original size. This is what happens when cells age and senescent.
The researchers found that the biosynthesis of RNA and proteins in larger yeast cells and human cells does not scale proportionally to the increased cell size. This leads to a diluting of the cytoplasm. This phenomenon also occurs in senescent (old) cells that display similar characteristics to large cells.
The team concluded that maintaining a DNA-to-cytoplasm proportion specific to a particular cell type is crucial for most cellular functions. When cellular growth alters this ratio, cells become senescent.
Source:
https://www.leafscience.org/excessive-cell-size-contributes-to-senescence/
