Title:Stem Cell Aging in Lifespan and Disease: A State-of-the-Art Review
Volume: 15
Issue: 4
Author(s): Saba Sameri, Pouria Samadi, Razieh Dehghan, Elham Salem, Nashmin Fayazi and Razieh Amini*
Affiliation:
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan,Iran
Keywords:
Aging, stem cell, age-related diseases, senescence, neurodegeneration, tumor microenvironment.
Abstract: Aging is considered as inevitable changes at different levels of genome, cell, and organism.
From the accumulation of DNA damages to imperfect protein homeostasis, altered cellular communication
and exhaustion of stem cells, aging is a major risk factor for many prevalent diseases, such as
cancer, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, and neurological disorders. The cells are
dynamic systems, which, through a cycle of processes such as replication, growth, and death, could
replenish the bodies’ organs and tissues, keeping an entire organism in optimal working order. In many
different tissues, adult stem cells are behind these processes, replenishing dying cells to maintain normal
tissue function and regenerating injured tissues. Therefore, adult stem cells play a vital role in preventing
the aging of organs and tissues, and can delay aging. However, during aging, these cells also
undergo some detrimental changes such as alterations in the microenvironment, a decline in the regenerative
capacity, and loss of function. This review aimed to discuss age-related changes of stem cells in
different tissues and cells, including skin, muscles, brain, heart, hair follicles, liver, and lung.