人类及其他生物随时间推移逐渐发生细胞功能丧失,即细胞衰老.这个过程如突显在某个组织器官,则可引起这个组织和器官的衰老性疾病.然而,最近的研究表明,哺乳动物在出生之前胚胎发育的生理条件下,即已经出现细胞和组织的复制性衰老现象.机制研究显示多种分子从细胞(核)内外引起生理性和应激性细胞复制性衰老.而自然界中某些生物随时间推移生命力增强、并不发生衰老.这些现象的分子机制,还有如发生在脑及代谢性疾病中的非复制性细胞衰老等,都还是个谜.本文就近期衰老的机制、细胞衰老的类型以及某些衰老相关疾病的分子基础的最新研究进展做一个扼要综述.论文包含以下几个部分:a.细胞衰老的定义、分类和机制;b.生理性衰老:发育中程序化衰老;c.内环境稳态与组织器官衰老:d.一型细胞复制性衰老及相关疾病:端粒长度与预测衰老及肿瘤预后、特发性肺纤维化、高血压;e.二型非复制性细胞衰老及相关疾病:帕金森病、糖尿病;f.衰老与长寿的物种多样性.
Aging occurs with cell beginning to lose function in a variety of cell types. If it takes place in a given tissue or organ prematurely ahead of other tissues and organs, it causes pathological development of diseases. How to treat aging cells and associated molecules is a challenge in anti-aging research. It has been demonstrated recently that aging occurs under physiological conditions during embryonic development of mammals, and that to some life forms aging never occurs. Involved in diverse diseases, aging is difficult to be measured and does not have universal markers. It is thus essential to comprehend the types of cells that undergo aging in human diseases and thereby the underlying molecular mechanisms. This article discusses recent research advances including: (1) The concept, classification and relevant mechanisms of cell aging; (2) Physiological aging: Developmentally programmed senescence; (3) Tissue homeostasis and aging; (4) Cell replicative senescence and related diseases: telomeres and cancer prognosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, hypertension; (5) Non-replicative cell aging and related diseases: Parkinson disease and diabetes; (6) Species diversity in aging and longevity.