Abstract
Aging refers to a gradual deterioration in function that, over time, leads to increased mortality risk, and declining fertility. This pervasive process occurs in almost all organisms, although some long-lived trees and cold water inhabitants reportedly show insignificant aging. Negligible senescence is characterized by attenuated age-related change in reproductive and physiological functions, as well as no observable age-related gradual increase in mortality rate. It was questioned whether the longest living rodent, the naked mole-rat, met these three strict criteria. Naked mole-rats live in captivity for more than 28.3 years, ∼9 times longer than similar-sized mice. They maintain body composition from 2 to 24 years, and show only slight age-related changes in all physiological and morphological characteristics studied to date. Surprisingly breeding females show no decline in fertility even when well into their third decade of life. Moreover, these animals have never been observed to develop any spontaneous neoplasm. As such they do not show the typical age-associated acceleration in mortality risk that characterizes every other known mammalian species and may therefore be the first reported mammal showing negligible senescence over the majority of their long lifespan. Clearly physiological and biochemical processes in this species have evolved to dramatically extend healthy lifespan. The challenge that lies ahead is to understand what these mechanisms are.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 439-445 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology |
| Volume | 178 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2008 |
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Keywords
- Heterocephalus glaber
- Maximum lifespan
- Oxidative stress
- Reproduction
- Slow aging
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Environmental Science(all)
- Physiology
- Physiology (medical)
Cite this
Negligible senescence in the longest living rodent, the naked mole-rat : Insights from a successfully aging species. / Buffenstein, Rochelle.
In: Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology, Vol. 178, No. 4, 05.2008, p. 439-445.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Negligible senescence in the longest living rodent, the naked mole-rat
T2 - Insights from a successfully aging species
AU - Buffenstein, Rochelle
PY - 2008/5
Y1 - 2008/5
N2 - Aging refers to a gradual deterioration in function that, over time, leads to increased mortality risk, and declining fertility. This pervasive process occurs in almost all organisms, although some long-lived trees and cold water inhabitants reportedly show insignificant aging. Negligible senescence is characterized by attenuated age-related change in reproductive and physiological functions, as well as no observable age-related gradual increase in mortality rate. It was questioned whether the longest living rodent, the naked mole-rat, met these three strict criteria. Naked mole-rats live in captivity for more than 28.3 years, ∼9 times longer than similar-sized mice. They maintain body composition from 2 to 24 years, and show only slight age-related changes in all physiological and morphological characteristics studied to date. Surprisingly breeding females show no decline in fertility even when well into their third decade of life. Moreover, these animals have never been observed to develop any spontaneous neoplasm. As such they do not show the typical age-associated acceleration in mortality risk that characterizes every other known mammalian species and may therefore be the first reported mammal showing negligible senescence over the majority of their long lifespan. Clearly physiological and biochemical processes in this species have evolved to dramatically extend healthy lifespan. The challenge that lies ahead is to understand what these mechanisms are.
AB - Aging refers to a gradual deterioration in function that, over time, leads to increased mortality risk, and declining fertility. This pervasive process occurs in almost all organisms, although some long-lived trees and cold water inhabitants reportedly show insignificant aging. Negligible senescence is characterized by attenuated age-related change in reproductive and physiological functions, as well as no observable age-related gradual increase in mortality rate. It was questioned whether the longest living rodent, the naked mole-rat, met these three strict criteria. Naked mole-rats live in captivity for more than 28.3 years, ∼9 times longer than similar-sized mice. They maintain body composition from 2 to 24 years, and show only slight age-related changes in all physiological and morphological characteristics studied to date. Surprisingly breeding females show no decline in fertility even when well into their third decade of life. Moreover, these animals have never been observed to develop any spontaneous neoplasm. As such they do not show the typical age-associated acceleration in mortality risk that characterizes every other known mammalian species and may therefore be the first reported mammal showing negligible senescence over the majority of their long lifespan. Clearly physiological and biochemical processes in this species have evolved to dramatically extend healthy lifespan. The challenge that lies ahead is to understand what these mechanisms are.
KW - Heterocephalus glaber
KW - Maximum lifespan
KW - Oxidative stress
KW - Reproduction
KW - Slow aging
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=42249088900&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=42249088900&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00360-007-0237-5
DO - 10.1007/s00360-007-0237-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 18180931
AN - SCOPUS:42249088900
VL - 178
SP - 439
EP - 445
JO - Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology
JF - Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology
SN - 0174-1578
IS - 4
ER -