The cellular basis of organ ageing
article
Ageing is associated with declines in the functional capacities of several organs. General causes for the decline can be divided into: 1. intrinsic cellular causes and 2. extracellular causes, e.g., changes in blood circulation and distribution. For the first group of causes, there is evidence for a decrease in the numbers of long-lived cells in brain, kidney and liver. Neither the causes of cell death nor to what extent loss of cells contributes to a decline in organ functions are known. Besides cell loss, a decrease in functions of the remaining cells can contribute to a decreased organ function. However, less is known of the relation between changes in physiological function and cellular ageing processes. Insight into the cellular basis of organ ageing can be expected from the recently realized experimental possibility to study the effect of ageing on the functional and metabolic activity in specific types of isolated liver cells. The results obtained so far give insight into the contribution of these cells to the decrease in functional capacity of the liver with age.
TNO Identifier
228424
ISSN
03781186
Source
Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Gerontologie, 9(3), pp. 133-138.
Pages
133-138
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