To what extent does telomere length influence aging and related diseases, and what are the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to telomere length?

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

In recent years, aging and anti-aging have become a very common problem among some middle-aged people. Biologists have discovered that telomeres play a crucial part in our aging process because they can prevent genes on chromosomes from being lost. Moreover, some diseases are also associated with telomere length. Around 85% of malignant cells reactivate telomerase, enabling infinite cell division and continuous growth. Additionally, a variety of environmental factors, such as smoking and genetic factors, can influence telomere length. These make it worthwhile to investigate the subject. The primary research question of this project is how telomere length is related to aging and some related diseases, and what factors influence it. To address this question, this research adopts literature review, data comparisons, theoretical research. Besides, this research collects and analyzes academic sources, official data, and authoritative studies. Key findings indicate that telomere length has a significant relationship with genetic and environmental factors. Some studies also show that telomere length can increase in those who have healthy lifestyles. Furthermore, the telomere length is also associated with diseases related to some organelles. As people's ages increase, the telomere length will decrease because telomere length will be shortened at each cell division. Overall, this project clarifies the connection between telomere length and the aging process as well as several ways to shorten telomeres. However, there are also several limitations, such as limited area coverage and tiny sample sizes. Therefore, more research should be conducted and thoroughly investigated.