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Review
. 2022 Oct 1:150:4S-11S.
doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000009667. Epub 2021 Sep 28.

Cellular Senescence in Aging, Tissue Repair, and Regeneration

Maria Shvedova  1 , Rex Jeya Rajkumar Samdavid Thanapaul  1 , Elizabeth L Thompson  1 , Laura J Niedernhofer  1 , Daniel S Roh  1
Affiliations
Review

Cellular Senescence in Aging, Tissue Repair, and Regeneration

Maria Shvedova et al. Plast Reconstr Surg. .

Abstract

Society and our healthcare system are facing unprecedented challenges due to the expansion of the older population. As plastic surgeons, we can improve care of our older patients through understanding the mechanisms of aging that inevitably impact their outcomes and well-being. One of the major hallmarks of aging, cellular senescence, has recently become the focus of vigorous research in academia and industry. Senescent cells, which are metabolically active but in a state of stable cell cycle arrest, are implicated in causing aging and numerous age-related diseases. Further characterization of the biology of senescence revealed that it can be both detrimental and beneficial to organisms depending on tissue context and senescence chronicity. Here, we review the role of cellular senescence in aging, wound healing, tissue regeneration, and other domains relevant to plastic surgery. We also review the current state of research on therapeutics that modulate senescence to improve conditions of aging.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. None of the authors has a financial interest in any of the products, devices, or drugs mentioned in this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Senescent cells (enlarged, hypersecretory (SASP-producing), expressing cell cycle arrest markers, with expanded lysosomal compartment containing senescence-associated β-galactosidase) accumulate with aging largely as a result of genomic stress, telomere attrition, oncogene activation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, and other external and internal stress stimuli. Upregulation of senescence also arises after acute tissue injury. The SASP influences surrounding cells affecting their function and drives chronic sterile inflammation. Chronic senescence contributes to aging, many chronic diseases, delayed wound healing and chronic wounds. Senescent cells also negatively affect axonal and bone regeneration. Sells, expressing senescence markers, however, play a positive role in wound healing after acute injury, and prevent hypertrophic and keloid scar formation. Senolytics act by eliminating senescent cells; senomorphics modulate the SASP (created in BioRender.com)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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