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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Techniques to Induce and Quantify Cellular Senescence
Published on: May 1, 2017
Remodeling of chromatin structure in senescent cells and its potential impact on tumor suppression and aging
1W446, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA. peter.adams@fccc.edu
Abstract:
Cellular senescence is an important tumor suppression process, and a possible contributor to tissue aging. Senescence is accompanied by extensive changes in chromatin structure. In particular, many senescent cells accumulate specialized domains of facultative heterochromatin, called Senescence-Associated Heterochromatin Foci (SAHF), which are thought to repress expression of proliferation-promoting genes, thereby contributing to senescence-associated proliferation arrest. This article reviews our current understanding of the structure, assembly and function of these SAHF at a cellular level. The possible contribution of SAHF to tumor suppression and tissue aging is also critically discussed.
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