Researchers from the University of Kentucky believe that it might be possible to extend the human lifespan by strengthening stem cells. Gary van Zant and his colleagues found that strains of mice that live the longest have “strong” stem cells in their bone marrow that are particularly good at repairing DNA damage. Further studies enabled the researchers to pinpoint areas of the mouse genome that were associated with the strong stem cells. In what Zant describes as a “striking overlap”, several of the areas they identified, have also been linked to longevity
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.newscientist.com on the 22nd July 2002
