title: Alive and well? Exploring disease by studying lifespan.
abstract: A common concept in aging research is that chronological age is the most important risk factor for the development of diverse diseases, including degenerative diseases and cancers. The mechanistic link between the aging process and disease pathogenesis, however, is still enigmatic. Nevertheless, measurement of lifespan, as a surrogate for biological aging, remains among the most frequently used assays in aging research. In this review, we examine the connection between 'normal aging' and age-related disease from the point of view that they form a continuum of aging phenotypes. This notion of common mechanisms gives rise to the converse postulate that diseases may be risk factors for accelerated aging. We explore the advantages and caveats associated with using lifespan as a metric to understand cell and tissue aging, focusing on the elucidation of molecular mechanisms and potential therapies for age-related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Paul F. Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Brett
authors.affiliation: Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Paul F. Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Neurology Service and Rehabilitation Research and Development Center of Excellence, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA. Electronic address: rando@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rando
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004194:Disease; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*