[Bio-physico-chemical aspects of aging and longevity]

Currently two types of theories of aging are generally recognized: the genetic and the free radical theories. Each of them allow to explain plasibly some particular features of the aging process and pathologies associated with it. However, there are some phenomena related to aging and longevity that are not easily interpreted in frames of both theories; in particular, the increase of the life span of animals following caloric restriction, or beneficial effects of reactive oxygen species on multiple living functions, etc. On the other hand, the mostly unknown principles of theoretical biology suggested by E.S. Bauer in 1930s allow to explain from the monistic basis the essence of those and many other phenomena related to development, aging and longevity. The major postulates of the Bauer's theory and the corollaries of them are reviewed with the emphasis on the specifically biological phenomenon discovered by Bauer, the so called "Basic Process". The latter allows to find the means for the significant extension of the active life span. Taking Bauer's principles into consideration we contemplate the modern data on the peculiarities of free radical processes in living systems giving rise to electron excited species generation as the energy-informational foundation for the build up of an organism's resources for the counteraction of most pathological factors. The needfulness to employ these considerations for the resolution of the problems of gerontology is substantiated.