Abstract
Adult stem cell functionality is impaired upon aging. This impedes on the success of stem cell-based regenerative therapy in aged individuals suffering from heart failure, which represent the target population for regenerative medicine. Therefore, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in cellular aging is essential in order to provide a more efficient therapeutic strategy. Accumulation of cellular damage occurs with age. Consequently, a constant cell turnover takes place in order to replace damaged cells leading to telomere attrition. Telomere shortening is thus a critical factor in cellular aging. Strategies focusing on preserving or elongating telomere length represent an attractive approach for the rejuvenation of stem cells. This chapter highlights the impact of aging on telomere length in stem cells and suggests new strategies to improve stem cell properties by maintaining telomere length.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease |
| Publisher | Elsevier Science Ltd. |
| Pages | 49-58 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128018637 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780128018880 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- Aging
- Cardiac stem cell
- Senescence
- Stem cell
- Telomerase
- Telomere
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)