Basic results for assessment of human ageing.
The study of collagen metabolism during the total life span of mammals has contributed greatly to the understanding of the human ageing process. Particularly relevant is the demonstration that these tissue dynamics of collagen in the whole organism is clearly age-dependent, but progresses non-synchronously in different organs. Thus, supply and degradation are tightly linked processes in all tissues, as in the case of other proteins, but the catabolic process regulates the turnover of already deposited collagen in adaptation to local needs. In the whole body there is a similar age-dependent interaction regarding the part of the organism whose activity is directly related with regulating functions mainly supporting the parenchyma, the other part of the organism to work as well as possible. It can be deduced that this regulation attains great importance in ageing because the capacity to survive is dependent on it. At the same time as we expose this dynamical conception of ageing we point out some ageing parameters from experimental gerontology capable of being applied in such a manner as to objectify human ageing manifestations. Furthermore, we propose a way to quantify total ageing on the basis of this interaction, as in a two-compartment system leading to one result which would mean vitality. We discuss related questions, mainly regarding the reference population as control and a good parameter selection which should represent total ageing manifestations in the human body.
Ruiz-Torres
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Instituto Universitario de Investigación Gerontológica y Metabólica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.