title: Replicative senescence: considerations relating to the stability of heterochromatin domains.
abstract: Replicative senescence of human diploid fibroblasts (HDF) cultured in vitro is characterized by a progressive and irreversible loss of responsiveness to mitogenic stimulation by serum. While some constraints have been placed on the nature of HDF senescence, its underlying molecular mechanism(s) remain obscure. Here, the possibility is considered that defects in cell cycle-coupled reassembly of repressive chromatin domains may contribute to HDF senescence. Features of this model are discussed in relation to established models of HDF senescence based on telomere shortening and loss of DNA methylation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Growth Regulation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2753, USA.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000502:physiology*; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D016615:Telomere
chemical_list: D006570:Heterochromatin; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D004247:DNA