Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Methods to Study Changes in Inherent Protein Aggregation with Age in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: November 26, 2017
Protein homeostasis in models of aging and age-related conformational disease
Elise A Kikis1, Tali Gidalevitz, Richard I Morimoto
1Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology, Rice Institute for Biomedical Research, 2205 Tech Drive, Hogan 2-100, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
Abstract:
The stability of the proteome is crucial to the health of the cell, and contributes significantly to the lifespan of the organism. Aging and many age-related diseases have in common the expression of misfolded and damaged proteins. The chronic expression of damaged proteins during disease can have devastating consequences on protein homeostasis (proteostasis), resulting in disruption ofnumerous biological processes. This chapter discusses our current understanding of the various contributors to protein misfolding, and the mechanisms by which misfolding, and accompanied aggregation/toxicity, is accelerated by stress and aging. Invertebrate models have been instrumental in studying the processes related to aggregation and toxicity of disease-associated proteins and how dysregulation ofproteostasis leads to neurodegenerative diseases of aging.
Related Concept Videos
The Effect of Aging on Tissues
Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Homeostatic Imbalance
However, sometimes these feedback loops fail,...
Regulated Protein Degradation
Protein degradation plays two important roles in the cells. It helps to protect cells from misfolded or damaged proteins before they lead to a...
Regulated Protein Degradation
Protein degradation plays two important roles in the cells. It helps to protect cells from misfolded or damaged proteins before they lead to a...

