Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Current theories of biological aging

  • Chapter
Biology of Aging and Development

Part of the book series: Faseb Monographs ((FASEBM,volume 3))

Abstract

Several lines of evidence have led to the notion that biological aging occurs as a result of changes in information-containing molecules either at the genetic or epigenetic level. The error theory, the redundant message theory, the codon restriction theory, and the transcriptional event theory represent the major current conceptualizations of biological aging as held by most gerontologists. The finding that cultured normal human and animal cells undergo a finite number of population doublings in vitro has provided new insights into age changes at the cellular level. The number of mitotic events that cultured normal animal cells can undergo appears to be inversely related to the age of the donor. A direct proportionality exists, however, between the mean maximum life-span of a species and the number of population doublings that their cultured embryonic cells will undergo. The several biochemical decrements known to occur prior to the cessation of mitotic activity in vitro are thought to herald those manifestations of senescence seen in the whole animal. Yet to be explained is how those cell classes such as the germ plasm and continuously propagable cancer cells escape from the inevitability of biological aging.—Hayflick, L. Current theories of biological aging. Federation Proc. 34: 9–13, 1975.

From Session I, Theoretical Concepts of Developmental and Age Changes, of the FASEB Conference on Biology of Development and Aging, presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Atlantic City, N. J., April 9, 1974.

Supported in part by grant HD04004 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Alexander, P. In: Perspectives in Experimental Gerontology, edited by N. W. Shock. Springfield, III.: Thomas, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Britten, R. J., and D. E. Kohne. Carnegie Inst. Washington, Yearbook 66:. 73, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Britten, R. J., and D. E. Kohne. Science 161: 529, 1968.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Britten, R. J., and D. E. Kohne. In: Handbook of Molecular Cytology,edited by A. Lima-de-Faria. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1969, p. 21 and 38.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Burnet, M. J. Brit. Med. J. 1965: 337.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Clark, A. M. Advan. Gerontol. Res. 1: 207, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Comfort, A. Gerontologia 14: 224, 1968.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cristofalo, V. J. In: Advances in Gerontological Research 3, edited by B. L. Strehler. New York: Academic, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cristofalo, V. J., B. V. Howard and D. Kritchevsky. In: Organic, Biological and Medicinal Chemistry 2, edited by V. Gallo and L. Santomarra. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cudkowicz, G., A. C. Upton, G. M. Shearer and W. L. Hughes. Nature 201: 165, 1964.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Curtis, H. J. Science 141: 688, 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Curtis, H. J. Federation Proc. 23: 662, 1964.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Curtis, H. J. In: Perspectives in Experimental Gerontology, edited by N. W. Shock. Springfield, III.: Thomas, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Daniel, C. W., K. B. De Ome, J. T. Young, P. B. Blair and L. J. Faulkin, JR. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 61: 53, 1968.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ford, C. E., H. S. Micklem and S. M. Gray. Brit. J. Radiol. 32: 280, 1959.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gelfant, S., and J. Graham-Smith, JR. Science 178: 357, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Goldberg, A. L. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 69: 427, 1972.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Goldstein, S. New Engl. J. Med. 285: 1120, 1971.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hayflick, L. Expti. Cell Res. 37: 614, 1965.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hayflick, L. Exptl. Gerontol. 5: 291, 1970.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hayflick, L. In: Aging and Development, Band 4, edited by H. Bredt and J. W. Rohen. Stuttgart: F. K. Schattauer Verlag, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hayflick, L. Am. J. Med. Sci. 265: 433, 1973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hayflick, L. Gerontologist 14: 37, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Hayflick, L. In: Theoretical Aspects of Aging,edited by M. Rockstein. New York: Academic. In press.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Hayflick, L., and P. S. Moorhead. Exptl. Cell Res. 25: 585, 1961.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Holeckova, E., and V. J. Cristofalo (editors). Aging in Cell and Tissue Culture. New York: Plenum, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Holliday, R., and G. M. Tarrant. Nature 238: 26, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Houck, J. C., V. K. Sharma and L. Hayflick. Proc. Soc. Exptl. BioL Med. 137: 331, 1971.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Krohn, P. L. Proc. Roy. Soc. London, Ser. B 157: 128, 1962.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Lewis, C. M., and R. Holliday. Nature 228: 877, 1970.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Martin, G. M., C. A. Sprague And C. J. Epstein. Lab. Invest. 23: 86, 1970.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Medvedev, ZH. A. Usp. Sovrem. Biol. 51: 299, 1961.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Medvedev, ZH. A. Exptl. Gerontol. 7: 227, 1972.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Orgel, L. E. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 49: 517, 1963.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Orgel, L. E. Nature 243: 441, 1973.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Printz, D. B., and S. R. Gross. Genetics 55: 451, 1967.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Saunders, J. W. In: Topics in the Biology of Aging, edited by P. L. Krohn. New York: Interscience, 1966, p. 159.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Siminovitch, L, J. E. Till and E. A. Mcculloch. J. Cellular Comp. Physiol. 64: 23, 1964.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Strehler, B. L. Quant. Rev. Biol. 34: 117, 1959.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Strehler, B. L. Time, Cells and Aging. New York: Academic, 1962, p. 12.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Strehler, B. L. Proc. Intern. Congr. Gerontol. Vienna: Wein Medikalische Academic, 1966, p. 177.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Strehler, B., G. Hirsch, D. Gusseck, R. Johnson and M. Bick. J. Theoret. Biol. 33: 429, 1971.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Szilard, L. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 45: 30, 1959.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Von Hahn, H. P. Exptl. Gerontol. 5: 323, 1970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Williams, G. C. Evolution 11: 398, 1957.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Williamson, A. R., and B. A. Askonas. Nature 238: 337, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305, USA

    Leonard Hayflick

Authors
  1. Leonard Hayflick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. New York University School of Medicine, USA

    G. Jeanette Thorbecke

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1975 Federation of American Societies

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hayflick, L. (1975). Current theories of biological aging. In: Thorbecke, G.J. (eds) Biology of Aging and Development. Faseb Monographs, vol 3. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2631-1_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2631-1_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-2633-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-2631-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation