title: Caenorhabditis elegans: What We Can and Cannot Learn from Aging Worms.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a widely used model organism for research into aging. However, nematodes diverged from other animals between 600 and 1300 million years ago. Beyond the intuitive impression that some aspects of aging appear to be universal, is there evidence that insights into the aging process of nematodes may be applicable to humans?
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  There have been a number of results in nematodes that appear to contradict long-held beliefs about mechanisms and causes of aging. For example, ablation of several key antioxidant systems has often failed to result in lifespan shortening in C. elegans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While it is clear that some central signaling pathways controlling lifespan are broadly conserved across large evolutionary distances, it is less clear to what extent downstream molecular mechanisms of aging are conserved. In this review we discuss the biology of C. elegans and mammals in the context of aging and age-dependent diseases. We consider evidence from studies that attempt to investigate basic, possibly conserved mechanisms of aging especially in the context of the free radical theory of aging. Practical points, such as the need for blinding of lifespan studies and for appropriate biomarkers, are also considered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As data on the aging process(es) in different organisms increase, it is becoming increasingly clear that there are both conserved (public) and private aspects to aging. It is important to explore the dividing lines between these two aspects and to be aware of the large gray areas in-between.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore .|2 Yale-NUS College , Singapore, Singapore .
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore .
authors.forename: Ce-Belle
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 4 Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School , Singapore, Singapore .
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore .
authors.forename: Li Fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore .
authors.forename: Emelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore .
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Halliwell
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D023421:Models, Animal; D009154:Mutation; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005609:Free Radicals