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0:00
Today, I will be discussing
the aging of mitotic cells.
This includes cells which divide
throughout life regularly.
So in other words,
mitotically active cells.
And also cells which only
divide when subjected
to some stimulus,
mitotically competent cell.
Cells which I will not
be discussing today
are ones which are post-mitotic.
In other words, cells that have
differentiated into a form that
is constitutively incapable
of further division,
such as neurons, muscle
fibers, for example.
Also, today, I shall be discussing
a potential to rejuvenate cells that
are mitotically competent
or mitotically active.
In other words, to
restore their function
and/or their number
in the body to a state
that resembles what
exists in young adults.
This can be called
regenerative medicine.
As you will see, in
many cases, it goes
beyond the conventional definitions
of regenerative medicine.
1:05
We all know that aging is a major
problem, whether economically,
or in the humanitarian sense,
or in any sense we like really.
On this slide I am
simply showing the change
in the demographic situation
that has occurred since 1950
and is projected through 2050.
Here we are talking
about the US population.
But, of course, the
situation is very
similar throughout the
industrialized world.
And it's getting that way
in the rest of the world.
The proportion of the population
that is over 65 is growing.
Now, of course, other
things being equal,
that is something to celebrate.
It is always a good
thing to preserve life.
But this is also a great problem
because, as things stand,
we do not have the medical capacity
to maintain the health of people
as they get progressively
beyond that.
And my work, and the work
of SENS Research Foundation,
and indeed the work of an
increasing number of biologists
around the world, is geared
towards changing that,
so that people can stay
healthy as long as they live.
There will actually be,
potentially, quite a big side
effect of that in terms
of how long people live.
But we must always remember that
the longevity of any individual
or the average longevity
of the population
is a cause for celebration.
The longer we can have
people live the better,
because life is valuable.
And, therefore, the goal is to
improve the quality of that life.
And any quantity of that life
that may increase is a bonus.
