Cell senescence: role in aging and age-related diseases

Cell senescence is one of the major paradigms of aging research. It started with the demonstration by L. Hayflick of the limited number of divisions by normal, nontransformed cells, not shown by transformed malignant cells, this processes being largely regulated by the telomere-telomerase system. A complete renewal of this discipline came from the demonstration that cells can enter senescence at any time by an anti-oncogene-triggered pathway, enabling them to escape malignancy. The senescent cell became a major actor of the aging process, among others, by the acquisition of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. This chapter is devoted to the regulatory process involved in the acquisition of the senescent cell phenotype and its role in organismal aging.