Causes of Aging

Some of the most popular theories of the causes of aging, most popular at the present time, are the roles of free-radical damage (1±3), somatic mutations (4), abberant proteins (5), defective mitochondria (6±8), and telomere shortening (9). Despite numerous theories, it is unlikely that a single mechanism can perfectly explain the aging phenomena (10) [Geraschenko] Therefore, it has been reasonably proposed that there is potentially a large number of mechanisms that might contribute to the overall process of aging (11,12). The aging process appears to occur at all levels: molecular (13,14), cellular (15), and organ (16), and `may be common to all living things because the phenomena of aging and death are universal' (17). This process manifests probably due to progressive accumulation of diverse adverse changes that increase the risk of death (2,17).
Causes of Aging: e.g. Degeneration; Developmental Quasi-Program; the gerogenic; Time duration
See more generally: Aging
Category:Biology
Category:Agency