What is aging and how can it be measured?
Current understanding of the biology behind aging is heavily based on research that identifies factors that affect lifespan. The use of lifespan as the sole proxy for aging is limited because it can be affected by specific pathologies, not just generalized physiological decline in old age. There is a need to design and discuss experimental approaches for studies that target the biology behind aging rather than pathologies which limit the lifespan of an animal. In order to achieve this, we review different perspectives on aging. We discuss the agreement and disagreement between researchers regarding the definition of aging. And, while some aspects of aging are highlighted, the fact that phenotypic change occurs in a population during the average lifespan is widely accepted. Then, we discuss experimental designs and frameworks that allow for the accurate assessment of interventions on aging rates. The framework proposed can be used to guide the discovery of aging mechanisms for all model organisms, including humans and mice.
Keywords: Aging; experimental design; lifespan; models; phenotypes.
Copyright (c), 2023 Elsevier BV. All rights reserved.
Source:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37302556/
