Aging can be viewed as a natural process or as a logical development of an organism during its life cycle. However, mankind throughout its history tried to find the “medicine of eternal youth” or at least, as much as possible (as possible) to delay the onset of old age. And, quite possibly, the answer all this time was, you could say, “beneath our feet”. Because recently a team of researchers from the University of Michigan opened the roundworms a special substance that prevents aging of the organism.
As you know, the round worms (nematodes) are one of the most numerous species on our planet. They have the different size and live in soil and fresh and marine waters, where their number may exceed 1 million individuals per 1 cubic meter.
By studying one species, namely C. elegans, the researchers found, say, a “molecule of aging.” First, experts from the University of Michigan studied the change in mobility of the worms associated with age. It turned out that in the middle of the life cycle of animals comes a decline in physical activity. The average C. elegans live about 21 days and on day 10-11 there is a change in behavior. Scientists decided to find out the cause of these violations.
Experts have begun to analyze the relationship of motor neurons with muscle activity. It turned out that their interaction molecule violates the SLO-1. When her presence is the decline in activity and a gradual loss of motor functions. Accordingly, the SLO-1 more, the activity is less.
Further, the experts decided to try to block this molecule. For this, they used 2 methods lock (looking ahead to say that both were successful). First — the most “radical”. Lock the molecules at the genetic level by editing the genome. The second is the impact on the “ways” of interaction between the molecules. With paxilline scientists blocked the potassium channels involved in the secretion of SLO-1.
Moreover, the duration of life of the studied groups increased compared with the control. But the most interesting is the fact that the opening applies not only to nematodes, since the same molecule is in the body of other creatures (including mammals).
By the way, proved that to maintain a “young mind” you should always learn something new. For this ideal our news channel in the Telegram.