Aging is an almost universal process within biological systems, one which leads to a decline in functional capacity, disease onset, and eventually death. There has been much interest in recent years to elucidate the molecular mec- nisms that underlie the aging process. Many theories have been proposed since the last century that aim to explain the causes of aging. There is no one theory that completely satisfies the phenotype of aging, but genetics and environm- tal factors play an important role in the etiology of age-related pathologies and the aging process. However, there is still much to be learned about the aging process which has been termed one of the last great frontiers in biology. De- graphic changes worldwide are leading to increased average life expectancies within our populations. These changes in population characteristics will impact upon the economies of the supporting society, with increasing healthcare and infrastructural costs arising from the prevalence of age-related pathologies and other physical disabilities associated with advancing years. Many researchers worldwide are working in the attempt to identify key cellular processes through which it might one day be possible to slow down the aging process and thus increase the health span of humans. Numerous research projectsfrom the cellular through to tissue, organ, and whole organism studiesare currently underway to investigate the mul- factorial aging process.

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Klappentext

With rapidly rising life expectancies and a general lack of understanding about the aging process, the need to treat geriatric diseases is becoming an ever more significant private and public health issue. In Aging Methods and Protocols, Yvonne and Christopher Barnett and a team of recognized international experts detail key biochemical, analytical, and molecular techniques for the investigation of aging at the cellular, tissue, organ, and whole system levels. These cutting-edge methods address a wide range of research needs, from uncovering the factors associated with cell senescence and death, to exploring alterations in the body's ability both to metabolize xenobiotics, and to defend itself against biomolecular damage. State-of-the-art protocols also measure the morphological, functional, and molecular changes that accumulate within mitochrondria over time, and permit the genetic and functional characteristics of the immune system to be determined. Two important case studies examine the role of dietary restriction on life span extension and the use of transgenic animals in the molecular analysis of aging.
Wide ranging and highly practical, Aging Methods and Protocols provides today's molecular gerontologists, pharmacologists, and clinical investigators with a gold-standard collection of readily reproducible techniques for identifying those key cellular and molecular processes that might one day make it possible to regulate the aging process.

Inhalt
The Study of Cell Senescence and Cell Death.- Understanding Aging.- Use of the Fibroblast Model in the Study of Cellular Senescence.- Human T-Cell Clones.- Telomeres and Replicative Senescence.- Detection of Molecular Events During Apoptosis by Flow Cytometry.- Raf-1 Protein Kinase Activity in T Cells from Aged Mice.- Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes in Young and Senescent T Cells.- Age-Related Changes to Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzyme Systems.- Xenobiotic-Metabolizing Enzyme Systems and Aging.- Age-Related Changes to Defense Systems Against Biomolecule Damage.- Assessing Age-Related Changes in Antioxidant Status.- Measurement of DNA Damage and Repair Capacity as a Function of Age Using the Comet Assay.- Measurement of DNA Damage and Repair in Human White Blood Cells by an Immunochemical Assay.- Age-Related Changes to Cellular Biomolecules.- Measurement of 8-Oxo-deoxyguanosine in Lymphocytes, Cultured Cells, and Tissue Samples by HPLC with Electrochemical Detection.- Mutation and the Aging Process.- Somatic Mutations and Aging.- Assessment of Susceptibility of Low-Density Lipoprotein to Oxidation.- Measurement of Pentosidine in Biological Samples.- Mitochondrial Morphology, Function, and Mutation with Age.- Causes and Consequences of Damage to Mitochondria.- Causes and Consequences of Damage to Mitochondria.- Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Mutations.- Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Mutations.- Immune System and Aging.- Assessment of T-Cell Function in the Aged.- Dendritic Cells in Old Age.- Age-Related Alterations to Natural Killer Cell Function.- Immunogenetics and Life-Span.- Case Studies.- Dietary Restriction and Life-Span Extension.- The Use of Genetically Engineered Mice in Aging Research.