Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2026

Techniques to Induce and Quantify Cellular Senescence
Published on: May 1, 2017
The splicing axis of aging: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities
Sada Raza1, Ankita Kumari1, Maciej Cieśla1
1IMol, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract:
Aging is characterized by progressive loss of molecular fidelity that compromises stem-cell function and tissue homeostasis. Aging transcriptomes show widespread disruption of RNA processing, including increased intron retention, cryptic splice-site usage, and altered RNA quality control. These changes arise from somatic mutations as well as accumulated transcriptional, metabolic, and proteostatic stress. Importantly, similar splicing abnormalities are observed in age-associated diseases such as clonal hematopoiesis and neurodegeneration, overlapping with physiological aging states. Here, we synthesize mechanistic, stem-cell, and longevity studies to define declining RNA-processing fidelity as a unifying contributor to aging across systems. We propose the 'splicing axis of aging' as a framework linking RNA-processing dysfunction to tissue decline and outline emerging therapeutic strategies to restore spliceosome integrity and RNA homeostasis.
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...
iPS Cell Differentiation
Replicative Cell Senescence
Overview of Regeneration and Repair
Regeneration
All animals have varying degrees of...
Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell types that...