A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

A

ATP: Adenosine triphosphate—a high energy molecule that captures and transports chemical energy from the breakdown of food, fueling other cellular processes

Aging: Changes in an organism that lead to functional decline and an increased susceptibility to disease and death

Allostatic load: Wear and tear on the body from adaptive responses to stress

Amyloid: Protein that can collect into plaques in organs and may play a role in some diseases including Alzheimer’s

Antagonistic pleiotropy: Theory of aging based on idea that some genes might be beneficial early in life but become deleterious later, contributing to bodily disintegration

Antioxidants: Molecule that can slow or prevent oxidation of other molecules in the body

Apoptosis: A type of programmed cell death in multicellular organisms

Autophagy: “Self-eating;” process whereby cells recycle components by devouring bits of themselves

B

B-cell: Lymphocyte that plays a role in antibody-mediated immune responses

Biodemography: The study of the characteristics of a human population that takes into account biological factors in addition to social and economic ones

Bioethics: The study of ethical controversies surrounding advances in biology and medicine

Biogerontology: The study of biological processes that underlie old age and aging itself

Biomarker of aging: A physical trait or molecule that can be used to estimate the age of a person or animal

C

C. elegans: Caenorhabditis elegans—a nematode (roundworm) that is often used as a model organism in research

Calorie restriction: Practice of severely cutting caloric intake, usually by 20 to 50 percent to boost longevity

Cellular senescence: Phenomenon where cells lose their ability to divide or replicate—they reach their Hayflick limit

Centenarian: A person who has reached his or her 100th birthday; researchers study centenarians in the hopes of finding genes that will keep us all living longer

Chelator: A compound that grabs free-floating metals in test tubes, cells, or tissues

Comparative biology: A multidisciplinary study of biodiversity

Crosslinking: Theory of aging based on idea that with age, structural molecules link to each other, inhibiting elasticity and normal breakdown

Cytokinesis: Process after mitosis where cell divides into two roughly identical cells

D

Disposable soma: A theory of aging based on idea that once animals pass on their genes to their offspring, their bodies fall apart

Drosophila: A fruit fly, specifically Drosophila melanogaster, which is often used as a model organism in research

E

Endocrine theory: Theory of aging based on idea that hormones control the rate at which we age

Endocrinology: The study of hormones and their effects on the body

Escape velocity: A physics term used by Aubrey de Grey to describe the point at which rejuvenation therapies can repair damage faster than it accumulates

F

Frailty: A condition characterized by weakness and impending disability

Free radicals: Atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons that can cause damage; also a theory of aging based on idea that free radical damage accumulates over time

G

 

H

Hayflick limit: Number of times a cell can divide and replicate

Health span: The amount of time an organism lives in good health and without serious illness

Hormesis: The idea that a little bit of stress prepares the body to deal with larger stresses

I

Immunologic theory: Theory of aging based on idea that a programmed decline in the immune system leads to higher susceptibility to diseases and aging

Inflammation: Increased blood flow and entry of white blood cells into tissue in response to injury or infection; resulting in swelling, redness, and pain

J

 

K

 

L

Life expectancy: Probable number of years (or days or months) remaining in the life of an individual or group of individuals; average lifespan of an individual

Lifespan: Average length of time an organism is expected to live

Longitudinal study: An observational study of individuals over long periods of time; uses correlation research

Lymphocytes: Type of white blood cell in vertebrates that plays a critical role in the immune system

M

Macrophages: Cells that consume debris and pathogens through phagocytosis as part of the immune response

Microarray: A device used to measure the activity of thousands of genes simultaneously

Mitochondria: Subunits in a cell that produce most of its chemical energy supply—the “power plants” of the cell

Mitosis: Process where the chromosomes in a cell separate into two identical sets

Model organism: A species that is often studied in order to provide insight into other organisms, like humans

Multipotent: Ability of a cell to divide and produce several cell types that are limited in number

N

Necrosis: Form of traumatic cell death from acute injury to the cell

Negligible senescence: Senescence that is so slight that it can’t be measured

Neuroendocrinology: Study of the interactions of the nervous and endocrine systems

O

Oxidants: Oxidizing agent that causes oxidation of a molecule and leads to free radicals

Oxidation: Chemical reaction that produces free radicals which can damage cells

P

Pathogen: Infectious agent that causes disease or illness in an organism

Phagocytosis: Process where a cell engulfs particles or cells and breaks them down as part of the immune response

Plaques: Collections of amyloid protein in the brain’s gray matter that are characteristic of and may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease

Pluripotent: Ability of a cell to divide and produce any fetal or adult cells but not extraembryonic tissue

Progenitor cell: Cells that can differentiate to produce more than one type of mature cell but cannot renew itself

Progeria: A rare genetic condition where physical aspects of aging are extremely accelerated

Programmed longevity: Theory of aging based on idea that aging is pre-programmed into the body

Q

 

R

Rate of living: Theory of aging based on idea that the higher an organism’s rate of basal metabolism, the shorter the lifespan

Resveratrol: An antibody produced by plants—most notably red grapes—that has been chemically synthesized and is believed to extend lifespan

S

Senescence: The progressive deterioration of the body and its functions over time

SENS: Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence—a detailed plan by Aubrey de Grey for curing human aging

Somatic DNA damage: Theory of aging based on idea that genetic mutations accumulate with age, causing malfunction and death of cells

Stem cell: Cell that can renew itself through division and differentiate into a diverse range of specialized cell types and that have great therapeutic potential

T

T-cell: Type of white blood cell that plays a role in cell-mediated immune responses

Tau: Protein that is abundant in neurons and may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease

Telomerase: Enzyme that adds repetitive DNA sequences to the end of chromosomes

Telomeres: A disposable buffer region at the end of chromosomes that protects them from damage

Totipotent: Ability of a cell to divide and produce all of the different cells in an organism, including extraembryonic tissues

U

 

V

 

W

Wear and tear: Theory of aging based on the idea that years of damage to cells and tissues causes wear and eventual death

X

 

Y

 

Z