“Scientists extend life of yeast cells: New breakthrough in the fight against cellular aging”

The fight of the human being against death, imagined by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein, has just reached a new milestone in California (United States). Scientists from the University of San Diego have managed to extend the useful life of yeast cells, which were used as a model for humans, by 82%. The challenge they are facing now, as explained in an article published in the magazine Science, is to slow down the aging of human cells, especially stem cells and neurons. If they succeed, logically, they will not have defeated death, as the British author dreamed. But they will have taken a giant step against the physical and cognitive deterioration that the passing of the years implies.

Human life expectancy is related to cellular aging. We live what each and every one of our cells lives. The diseases that kill the human species the most —cancers and vascular pathologies— are related to the aging of all these small portions of life that make up organs and systems.

The essential mechanisms behind the aging process were described three years ago by this same group at the University of California. The scientists then identified two different directions that cells follow during the aging process and genetically manipulated them with the aim of prolonging their lifespan. What this group has now done is to engineer through synthetic biology a solution for cells to reach their normal levels of deterioration.

The fight against cellular aging has reached two levels in the last decades, the height of which depends a lot on the objective with which it is looked at. From an aesthetic point of view, the cosmetics industry has significantly reduced the marks that the passing of time leaves on the face. Better hygiene, quality of life and scientific advances have prolonged human existence to an average of 86 years. But the fundamental thing, which is the appearance of diseases, has not been stopped. That is what this research is about, that is the goal sought in California: a longer life with more quality years.