Age

I'm probably going to sound like a complete retard but what actually causes people to grow older?

genes code for growth, cell specialization and division, when full growth achieved, maintenance simply difficult to keep indefinitely due to second law of thermodynamics

ends of chromosomes have protective end bits called telomeres that get degraded with each new generation of cells, cells less able to keep error-free dna

cells less able to produce quality proteins and whatnot in same quantities as before

So it would be a matter of having to complete replace the telomeres over time?

Cancer

>>3
It's a little more complicated than that, due to the aforementioned reason.  With telomere extension not being a problem, a cell that grows out of control very quickly becomes cancer.  When telomere length is limited, the out of control cell stops replicating and dies [unless it has some enzyme to extend its telomere, in which case it's cancerous again, at least this gives a 2nd check b4 it reaches cancer].

Cells also accumulate semi-waste -- molecules and protein fragments -- that are not properly processed by the various cleanup mechanisms.  Recent research involving rat livers produced a so-called ageless organ that was able to overcome the decreased garbage collection problem, and return to a more youthful vibrancy in that regard.  Of course, the organ would still have the telomere problem, but telomere aging is a long time compared to cell death due to mutation and garbage.

Sorry I can't find the link for you.  Just google "rat liver aging" and you should find it.

Don't forget there are certain types of cells the body cannot produce on its own after birth. Brain cells, for one. As they die off for whatever reason, they cannot be replaced.

So it all goes back to stem cell research then.

>>6
Old myth. They've since found that the body does indeed produce new brain cells during your entire life span.

>>5

Yeah------rats!

Thanks to ethical and moral discussions, we can't test it on humans!

Otherwise, who knows, we would be still having the looks of a 20year old though we would be 50/60!

But time will come (hopefully)when these hypocritical mechanism will be annuled (war etc.).

>>9
If its a matter of ethics are there not parts of the world where it wouldn't such a big issue? Though I guess funds would then be a problem.

>>6

Someone has already pointed out that this is incorrect, but let me elaborate a bit.

That was thought to be the case for decades due to a flaw in the original experiment. The animals used for testing didn't grow (any significant amount of) brain cells due to the stress they went through in life. The experiment that found the flaw and refuted the belief was performed in '89, IIRC, but it took over a decade to get publicized for some reason.

>>10
That is the problem!

You know, every damn time i am reading an article or whatever about some research results and representation, there must be some lines included like "....further progress in the fight against cancer, aids etc."

Oh, i am so sick of it.

I've never understood what the big problem with experiments on willing human volunteers was supposed to be.

I mean, am I crazy, or is the whole argument ass-backwards? Isn't it better, more "ethical", to use an intelligent, fully informed, willing individual who is making the decision of their own free will than to use animals (which obviously do not fully understand what is going on or the risks involved and furthermore clearly do not have a choice in the matter)?

Sure, there are extremely dangerous experiments where it doesn't make sense to waste human life, or experiments on things where simpler animal biology makes more sense (like genetics, neuroscience, etc), but I don't see the problem with willing human subjects just because they're human.

>>13
They do have some experiments every now and then.  That's what those clinical trials for new drugs are.  For some of the more dangerous experiments, I doubt anybody would want to volunteer...  That's where murderers/death penalty fags/terminal illness hero come in!

"You killed somebody.  Now you have a chance to save somebody, and redeem yourself in the process.  If the experiment goes well, you will be reinstated as a normal citizen.  If it doesn't go well, you will die a horrible death, including vomiting, diarrhea..."

"You have terminal cancer.  If we're lucky with these new chemo drugs, you'll live!  If we're not lucky, then no amount of opium can dull your agony.  What is your choice?"

>>14
Still scifi-pop

Those moralfags will jump off their chairs if they hear such a thing.

>>14
Good thing medicine doesn't work that way.

>>13
If you're going to pay people for it, you'll mostly get poor people volunteering who have no other options. If you aren't paying people, you'll mostly get the mentally ill.
Either way you aren't dealing with informed individuals making a considered decision.

Age is caused by people sinning all the time. Their sins come back to haunt them and make them die. I am a scientist, this is the truth.

>>18
You are a retard that is the truth.

>>19
You are gullible and easy to troll.