Senescent cells are created constantly throughout life, largely as somatic cells reach the Hayflick limit on replication, but also in response to cell damage and stress. In youth, the immune system rapidly removes these cells. With age, immune clearance falters and lingering senescent cells grow in number in tissues throughout the body. These cells secrete a potent mix of pro-inflammatory signals that can be beneficial in the short term, drawing the attention of the immune system to potential problems, but this signaling becomes disruptive to tissue structure and function when sustained over the long term. The greater the number of senescent cells, the worse the …
IL-23R as a Blood Biomarker of the Age-Related Burden of Senescent Cells
Senescent cells are created constantly throughout life, largely as somatic cells reach the Hayflick limit on replication, but also in response to cell damage and stress. In youth, the immune system rapidly removes these cells. With age, immune clearance falters and lingering senescent cells grow in number in tissues throughout the body. These cells secrete a potent mix of pro-inflammatory signals that can be beneficial in the short term, drawing the attention of the immune system to potential problems, but this signaling becomes disruptive to tissue structure and function when sustained over the long term. The greater the number of senescent cells, the worse the …