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Cell biology

Stem cell exhaustion

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Stem cell exhaustion is the age-related decline in the number, function, and regenerative capacity of tissue-resident stem cells. Drivers include accumulated DNA damage, telomere attrition, epigenetic drift, mitochondrial dysfunction, and a deteriorating niche environment. Consequences include impaired wound healing, anemia, immunosenescence, sarcopenia, and reduced tissue homeostasis. Recognized as a hallmark of aging, it is a key target for regenerative and reprogramming-based interventions.

Sources

  1. López-Otín C, Blasco MA, Partridge L, Serrano M, Kroemer G. (2013). The Hallmarks of Aging. *Cell*doi:10.1016/j.cell.2013.05.039
  2. López-Otín C, Blasco MA, Partridge L, Serrano M, Kroemer G. (2023). Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe. *Cell*doi:10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.001