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. 2022 Apr 20;135(8):901-910.
doi: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001984.

Stem cells to reverse aging

Le Chang  1   2 , Weiwen Fan  1   2 , Xinghua Pan  1 , Xiangqing Zhu  1
Affiliations

Stem cells to reverse aging

Le Chang et al. Chin Med J (Engl). .

Abstract

As human life expectancy continues to increase and the birth rate continues to decline, the phenomenon of aging is becoming more prominent worldwide. Therefore, addressing the problems associated with global aging has become a current research focus. The main manifestations of human aging are structural degeneration and functional decline of aging tissues and organs, quality of life decline, decreased ability to resist diseases, and high incidence rates of a variety of senile degenerative diseases. Thus far, no ideal treatments have been found. Stem cell (SC) therapies have broad application prospects in the field of regenerative medicine due to the inherent biological characteristics of SCs, such as their plasticity, self-renewal, and multidirectional differentiation potential. Thus, SCs could delay or even reverse aging. This manuscript reviews the causes of human aging, the biological characteristics of SCs, and research progress on age reversal.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Telomere shortening, DNA mutations, mitochondrial dysfunction, somatic and mitochondrial DNA mutations, epigenetic alterations, impairment of proteostasis, aberrant intracellular communication, immunosenescence, etc., reduce the numbers of somatic cells and SCs under the conditions of limited cell division, disruption of cell homeostasis, and senescence and disease induction. SC therapies represent a new strategy for the treatment of aging-related diseases. SCs: Stem cells.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Three types of SCs (ESCs, ASCs, and iPSCs). SCs commonly used in the laboratory and their differentiation characteristics. ASCs: Adult SCs; ESCs: Embryonic SCs; iPSCs: Induced pluripotent SCs; SCs: Stem cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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