Could the effects of aging be delayed or even prevented simply by clearing the body of old cells? Scientists report in Nature that they were able to do just that in a study of mice. It is the first study to show that when “senescent” cells, those that have gotten old and stopped dividing, build up, they can promote aging in nearby tissues, contributing to such age-related conditions as cataracts, skin wrinkling and muscle loss. Senescent cells are few in number, but their effects may be wide-ranging.
