Changes of telomere length with aging

Abstract

We reviewed our methodology and results of telomere measurements, with reference to telomere length and aging. Human tissues always showed telomere shortening with age, except for the brain and myocardium. Yearly rates of telomere length reduction in various tissues were mostly within the range 20-60 bp, and thus compatible with that expected from only one round of mitosis. It was suggested that when telomeres were found to be longer in any specific organ in a given individual, then the other organs in that individual would also have longer telomeres. Using the quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) method for telomere measurement, we were able to measure the telomere lengths of various cell types within tissues. Here we summarize the results obtained for various cell types in the stomach, tongue and breast. Our Q-FISH method using our original software program "Tissue Telo" is excellent for measuring telomere lengths using tissue sections and PNA probes.