A study by American scientists reveals how to slow down or even partially reverse the cellular aging process. His results were published in PNAS. The authors worked with mitochondria, known as the cell's power station. With age, their number decreases, their work deteriorates, which increases the risk of disruption of the work of the heart, brain and other organs.
Scientists have discovered that this condition can be reversed by “reloading” human cells and thereby increasing the number of mitochondria. Scientists performed this trick using special nanoparticles with a porous structure that absorbs reactive oxygen species. After removing them, the genes responsible for the production of mitochondria in stem cells were activated.
And they're not just increasing in number. “Recharged” stem cells begin to share their mitochondria with neighboring damaged cells, becoming an additional “energy source” for them. That is, they regain their energy. In some experiments, the number of transferred mitochondria doubled and the number of cardiac smooth muscle cells increased 3-4 times.
The researchers emphasize that development is still in the early stages. The next step is animal testing and further evaluation of safety, dosage and long-term effects.
