Telomeres and human somatic fitness

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

101 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mean leukocyte telomere length may be an indicator of biological age, and as such it appears to provide information over and above chronological age of the risk for developing diseases of aging in humans. Here I propose that the mean leukocyte telomere length is an index of "somatic fitness," a concept that breaks down the artificial boundary between aging and diseases of aging. I also propose that, in exceptionally old humans, ultrashort leukocyte telomeres might be a determinant of life span.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)871-873
Number of pages3
JournalJournals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Volume61
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Aging
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Telomeres and human somatic fitness'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this