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Updated: May 22, 2026

Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
Published on: May 22, 2013
Axis of ageing: telomeres, p53 and mitochondria
Ergün Sahin1, Ronald A DePinho
1Huffington Center On Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA. esahin@bcm.edu
Abstract:
Progressive DNA damage and mitochondrial decline are both considered to be prime instigators of natural ageing. Traditionally, these two pathways have been viewed largely in isolation. However, recent studies have revealed a molecular circuit that directly links DNA damage to compromised mitochondrial biogenesis and function via p53. This axis of ageing may account for both organ decline and disease development associated with advanced age and could illuminate a path for the development of relevant therapeutics.
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