Rejuvenating Power of Blood Not Fiction
The image of notorious Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who was said to take baths filled with the blood of virgins to regain her youth, may have some scientific basis after all.
The blood of young mice managed to reverse some aspects of aging when pumped into old mice’s veins.
The findings by a team at Harvard University showed that some unknown factor in young blood can make old bone marrow act as if it were younger. In the experiment, the researchers surgically connected the circulatory systems of two mice, so that the older animal was constantly exposed to the blood from the younger one.
As a result the age-associated changes in blood-producing stem cells of the older mouse were reversed. Namely, the number of the stem cells was reduced, while the number of the blood cells they produced increased. With age, bone marrow also produces fewer immune cells and more inflammatory cells, which was also reversed in the experiment.
What expertly causes this rejuvenating effect is not clear yet, but the researchers suspect the hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 may be involved, they write in a paper published by the journal “Nature”. The hormone was previously shown to have a role in longevity regulation.
At the same time, the long-term effect of this blood rejuvenation of bone marrow is unknown and needs further research.
Copyright: arcticle: Russia Today
Original article from: http://rt.com/Sci_Tech/2010-01-28/rejuvenating-blood-not-fiction.html
Forward this news message:
The image of notorious Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who was said to take baths filled with the blood of virgins to regain her youth, may have some scientific basis after all.
The blood of young mice managed to reverse some aspects of aging when pumped into old mice’s veins.
The findings by a team at Harvard University showed that some unknown factor in young blood can make old bone marrow act as if it were younger. In the experiment, the researchers surgically connected the circulatory systems of two mice, so that the older animal was constantly exposed to the blood from the younger one.
As a result the age-associated changes in blood-producing stem cells of the older mouse were reversed. Namely, the number of the stem cells was reduced, while the number of the blood cells they produced increased. With age, bone marrow also produces fewer immune cells and more inflammatory cells, which was also reversed in the experiment.
What expertly causes this rejuvenating effect is not clear yet, but the researchers suspect the hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 may be involved, they write in a paper published by the journal “Nature”. The hormone was previously shown to have a role in longevity regulation.
At the same time, the long-term effect of this blood rejuvenation of bone marrow is unknown and needs further research.
Copyright: arcticle: Russia Today
Original article from: http://rt.com/Sci_Tech/2010-01-28/rejuvenating-blood-not-fiction.html
Forward this news message:
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, and for the general purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, research and / or educational purposes only. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use this material for purposes other than provided by law. You must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to:
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html