The aging of the pituitary gland can be potentially slowed down
Hugo Vankelecom, a stem cell biologist at KU Leuven and his co-workers have found that the pituitary in mice ages due to a chronic inflammation caused by age. This process may be slowed down or partially repaired. Researchers have published their findings on PNAS.
Professor Hugo Vankelecom, from the Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, explains that the pituitary is a small globular, squamous gland beneath the brain. It plays a significant role in the hormone system. My research group found that pituitary glands age as a result a chronic inflammation which affects tissues and the body as a entire. This natural process is often unnoticed, and it’s called ‘inflammaging.’ It’s a contraction of inflammation with aging. Inflammaging was previously linked to the aging other organs.
The study provides important insight into stem cells within the pituitary. Vankelecom, along with his colleagues, demonstrated in 2012 that stem cells can repair tissue even when injured in the pituitary gland. This new study has shown that stem cells within the pituitary retain their regenerative ability as the organism ages. The stem cells can’t do their jobs because the pituitary, as a result chronic inflammation, becomes an \”inflammatory environment\”. \”But as soon as they are removed from this environment, the stem cells show the same characteristics as stem cells of a young pituitary.\”
Source:
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-06-pituitary-gland-aging-potentially.html
