A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death - Couverture rigide

Clark, William R.

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0195125932 ISBN 13 : 9780195125931

Editeur : Oxford University Press Inc, 1999

Synopsis

This work covers ageing from a fundamental cell biological perspective. The evolution and developmental genetics of senescence are explained clearly. All the various theories of ageing - the Hayflick limit and telomeric shortening as a possible biological clock, the impacts of somatic mutations, oxidative stress, accumulation of waste materials in cells with age - are explained and critically assessed. The author presents vivid case accounts about disorders that open windows on to the ageing process. The impacts of ageing on the brain and nervous system are given special attention, as are the effects of caloric restriction on maximum lifespan.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Why do we age? Is aging inevitable? Will advances in medical knowledge allow us to extend the human lifespan beyond its present limits? Because growing old has long been the one irreducible reality of human existence, these intriguing questions arise more often in the context of science fiction than science fact. But recent discoveries in the fields of cell biology and molecular genetics are seriously challenging the assumption that human lifespans are beyond our control. With such discoveries in mind, noted cell biologist William R. Clark clearly and skillfully describes how senescence begins at the level of individual cells and how cellular replication may be bound up with aging of the entire organism. He explores the evolutionary origin and function of aging, the cellular connections between aging and cancer, the parallels between cellular senescence and Alzheimer's disease, and the insights gained through studying human genetic disorders--such as Werner's syndrome--that mimic the symptoms of aging. Clark also explains how reduction in caloric intake may actually help increase lifespan, and how the destructive effects of oxidative elements in the body may be limited by the consumption of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. In a final chapter, Clark considers the social and economic aspects of living longer, the implications of gene therapy on senescence, and what we might learn about aging from experiments in cloning. This is a highly readable, provocative account of some of the most far-reaching and controversial questions we are likely to ask in the next century.

Revue de presse

"Clark effortlessly takes readers from the simple to the complex, from a discussion of single-celled organisms to human beings.... He also does a nice job of exploring the causes of Alzheimer's disease, various forms of cancer and an array of genetic disorders that afflict the young by making them age prematurely.... Neatly informative."--Publishers Weekly

"Why in spite of healthy, well-fed, well-watered lives do people age and die? The well-informed physician-researcher, William R. Clark, excitedly reveals new studies of progeric and normal mammals as he tracks the inevitable corollary to human life: the inexorable rhythmic march to human death."--Lynn Margulis, Distinguished University Professor, Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and co-author of What is Life" and What is Sex"

"Fascinating and informative.... One of the book's most engaging elements is Clark's ability to show how scientists think about problems and approaches in the field."--Booklist

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Oxford University Press Inc
• Date d'édition: 1999
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0195125932
• ISBN 13: 9780195125931
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 251
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie; ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it; ; Via Verdi, 8; Assago Milano; 20090; Italie