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Related Concept Videos

The Evidence for Evolution02:55

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Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
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Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012...
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The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
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Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Combinational Treatment of Trichostatin A and Vitamin C Improves the Efficiency of Cloning Mice by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
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Somatic cell evolution: how to improve with age.

Darryl Shibata1

  • 1Department of Pathology, University of Southern California - Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

The Journal of Pathology
|September 25, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cells can improve with age through a process called somatic evolution. In the gut, stem cells with mitochondrial mutations are naturally removed, leading to healthier tissues over time.

Keywords:
MELASagingmitochondriamutation

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Genetics
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Aging is typically associated with cellular deterioration.
  • Somatic evolution describes changes in cells within an organism over time.
  • Mitochondrial mutations can negatively impact cell function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a rare instance of cellular improvement with age.
  • To understand the mechanisms behind age-related cellular betterment.
  • To explore the role of somatic evolution in maintaining tissue health.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of intestinal crypts.
  • Tracking of heteroplasmic germline mitochondrial mutations in stem cells.
  • Comparison of mutation purging in different cellular contexts.

Main Results:

  • Stem cells with high levels of a specific mitochondrial mutation are purged from intestinal crypts over time.
  • This purging leads to crypts free of the mutation, indicating improvement.
  • Other somatic mitochondrial mutations are not purged, suggesting unique conditions for improvement.

Conclusions:

  • Somatic evolution can lead to cellular improvement, not just deterioration.
  • Specific conditions, like those in intestinal crypts, facilitate the purging of deleterious mutations.
  • This mechanism offers insights into age-related tissue resilience.