Telomere positional effects and the regulation of cellular senescence.
Normal cells have a limited capacity to proliferate but the molecular clock that regulates the onset of cellular senescence remains unidentified. The ends of chromosomes--telomeres--have been shown to shorten progressively with age in normal cells. Here, we present a working model of how telomeric shortening may induce programmed changes in the regulation of cellular proliferation.
Wright
W E
WE
Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9039.
Shay
J W
JW
D016923:Cell Death; D002455:Cell Division; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D016615:Telomere / Q000502:physiology*
D006570:Heterochromatin