Courtesy of Leonard P. Guarente
Yeast form dormant spores during times of starvation in order to survive for future times of plenty. The cycle between diploid a/α cells and haploid spores is regulated by
Since the dawn of consciousness, humans have been in a unique position to contemplate their own mortality. While this exercise has been a boon to philosophical musings, it has not led to any real scientific progress in understanding aging. Yet studies over the past several years provide evidence that the aging process is regulated under certain environmental conditions, such as caloric restriction (CR). Therapies based on this knowledge may not be far behind.
In contradiction to the classical views about aging in evolution, simple organisms such as yeast or worms have mechanisms regulating aging that are easily altered through external stimuli, such as CR, or through genetic manipulation. Translating these ...
