Identical Twins Reveal Mechanisms Behind Aging

In an article in Science Daily, a recent study by researchers of Uppsala University compared DNA of monozygotic twins of different ages to discover that their DNA segments were changed and even lost in the older twin.  There results may explain why our immune system is impaired with age.  These changes in direction, duplication, or loss of the essential piece of DNA seem to correlate with age.  As many as 3.5 percent of healthy individuals older than 60 years carry such large genetic alterations. Out of the cell types in blood only white blood cells contain DNA. The researchers believe that the increased number of cells with DNA alterations among elderly can have a role in the effectiveness of the immune system. If the genetic alterations lead to an increased growth of the cells that have acquired them, these cells will increase in number in relation to other white blood cells. The consequence might be a reduced diversity among the white blood cells and thereby an impaired immune system.  

In society aging represents wisdom but also the deterioration of the physical body.  With age there seems to be a greater deterioration of DNA, if somehow we can prevent or decrease the rate of deterioration maybe an older individual may not have to be so physically frail.