There is an accumulating body of evidence that a decline in immune function with age is
common to most if not all vertebrates. For instance, age-associated thymic involution seems to …

The food restriction model for life extension is nearing “three-score and 10” years of age and
remains in good shape, preserving much of the mystique of its youth. Although originally …

Menopause is an evolutionary puzzle since an early end to reproduction seems contrary to
maximising Darwinian fitness. Several theories have been proposed to explain why …

… We checked this in various ways, described more fully elsewhere (Shanley 1999). The model
predictions were relatively insensitive to the age when famine was experienced, although …

Cellular senescence, a state of irreversible cell cycle arrest, is thought to help protect an
organism from cancer, yet also contributes to ageing. The changes which occur in senescence …

The kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) exists in two multiprotein complexes (mTORC1
and mTORC2) and is a central regulator of growth and metabolism. Insulin activation …

Amino acids (aa) are not only building blocks for proteins, but also signalling molecules,
with the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) acting as a key mediator. …

Why do women cease fertility rather abruptly through menopause at an age well before
generalized senescence renders child rearing biologically impossible? The two main …

The disposable soma theory suggests that longevity is determined through the setting of
longevity assurance mechanisms so as to provide an optimal compromise between investments …

microRNAs (miRNAs) are abundantly expressed in development where they are critical
determinants of cell differentiation and phenotype. Accordingly miRNAs are essential for normal …