title: An improved method for determining telomere length and its use in assessing age in blood and saliva.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is disputed whether telomeres shorten with age.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The proposition of this study was to answer this question.
  
  
  METHODS
  The question was answered by a simple method consisting of a color reaction combined with long-term electrophoresis and weak voltage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The telomeres shorten and the shortening is much higher than previously assumed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The telomere theory of ageing and cancer is corroborated and for the first time it is possible to estimate age in blood or saliva.
authors.affiliation: Department RNA-Chemie, Max-Delbrück-Centrum, Berlin, Germany. peter.lahnert@lycos.de
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lahnert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D015139:Blotting, Southern / Q000379:methods; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005819:Genetic Markers