title: The biology of aging.
abstract: Various biological aspects of the aging process are reviewed. Aging has multiple causes. First, there is the initial genetic variability in the organism. Second, there is the destructive effect of the environment. Third, there is an accumulation in the somatic cells of changes, mutations or local chemical damage. These changes incapacitate or kill individual cells, and eventually cause a decline in physiological capacity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, N.Y., USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Reichel
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male