Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2025
09:14
Evaluation of Injury-induced Senescence and In Vivo Reprogramming in the Skeletal Muscle
Published on: October 26, 2017
9.5K
A cellular identity crisis? Plasticity changes during aging and rejuvenation.
Rebecca Gorelov1,2,3,4,5, Konrad Hochedlinger6,2,3,4,5
1Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
Genes & Development
|September 18, 2024
Summary
Aging may cause cells to lose their identity, leading to diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration. This review explores age-related cell identity shifts and discusses potential therapeutic strategies for cell rejuvenation.
Area of Science:
- Cellular Biology
- Aging Research
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Cellular plasticity aids tissue regeneration after injury in adult organisms.
- Lifelong exposure to injuries during aging may increase cellular identity malleability and errors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence of age-related cell identity shifts.
- To discuss the contribution of these shifts to pathologies like neurodegeneration and cancer.
- To explore therapeutic strategies for cell rejuvenation and uncoupling cell state changes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and critical discussion of existing evidence.
- Focus on dedifferentiation, biased differentiation, lineage plasticity, and preneoplastic states.
- Analysis of cell rejuvenation approaches and their impact on cell identity.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests cells undergo age-related identity shifts.
- These shifts are linked to age-associated diseases, including neurodegeneration and cancer.
- Cellular rejuvenation strategies may involve transient cell identity changes.
Conclusions:
- Age-related cellular identity shifts are a significant factor in disease.
- Understanding and controlling these shifts is crucial for therapeutic interventions.
- Decoupling cell state changes from rejuvenation may offer improved therapeutic strategies.
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