Scientists Reverse Aging in Mice Using Young Blood
- 10 years ago
Scientists working with mice have been able to reverse the effects of aging by transfusing blood from young mice into older ones.
Scientists working with mice have been able to reverse the effects of aging by transfusing blood from young mice into older ones.
Several studies have shown that putting the blood of younger mice into older mice has improved a variety of attributes including their endurance and growth of new neurons which helped them create memories, along with increased circulation in the brain, an improved sense of smell, and restored muscle tissue.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School identified a single chemical protein called GDF11 that is more prevalent in the blood of younger mice.
They injected it into older mice subjects and found that it reversed the effects of ageing in their hearts.
"A cross between vampire and Frankenstein where they took two animals and they hooked their blood supply together for four weeks called parabiosis and it was an experiment that was originally done in the 50s that showed mice seem to reverse aging and now we know the mechanism." [CBS]
Another part of the same study found that older mice’s blood reduced the amount of neural stem cells in the brains of younger mice who received a transfusion.
Scientists working with mice have been able to reverse the effects of aging by transfusing blood from young mice into older ones.
Several studies have shown that putting the blood of younger mice into older mice has improved a variety of attributes including their endurance and growth of new neurons which helped them create memories, along with increased circulation in the brain, an improved sense of smell, and restored muscle tissue.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School identified a single chemical protein called GDF11 that is more prevalent in the blood of younger mice.
They injected it into older mice subjects and found that it reversed the effects of ageing in their hearts.
"A cross between vampire and Frankenstein where they took two animals and they hooked their blood supply together for four weeks called parabiosis and it was an experiment that was originally done in the 50s that showed mice seem to reverse aging and now we know the mechanism." [CBS]
Another part of the same study found that older mice’s blood reduced the amount of neural stem cells in the brains of younger mice who received a transfusion.