-
サマリー
あらすじ・解説
Telomeres are structures that exist at the tips of the chromosomes. At their most basic level, they play a role similar to that of the small plastic tabs at the ends of your shoe laces. The purpose of these tabs is to keep the lace from unraveling. As the chromosomes divide, telomeres help keep the cell intact. In turn, each time a chromosome divides, the telomere gets shorter and shorter until the cell reaches a point that it can no longer divide. This shortening of the telomere occurs gradually as we age, and by monitoring these changes, doctors can now provide insight into where you are in the aging process regardless of how many birthdays you've had. Shortened telomere are associated with certain types of cancer, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.