Stem cell theory explains aging

The aging process sooner or later overtakes everyone. Specialists in the field of medicine are constantly and from all sides studying the causes of human aging. Unlike the external signs of aging that are visible to the naked eye, there are deeper causes of age-related changes that manifest themselves at the molecular level. That is why there is a theory of stem cells, which explains the phenomenon of aging, which is under close study of specialists from all over the world. What is the theory of stem cells in terms of explaining the phenomenon of aging? 

Reducing the rate of proliferation and differentiation of stem cells is considered one of the main reasons for this phenomenon today. The system of functioning of stem cells as a source of regeneration of the cellular composition of tissues of a mature organism suggests that the basis of everything is a multipotent stem cell (SC). That is, a healthy and youthful state of the body will be determined only through the differentiation of descendants of tissue-specific stem cells.

The SC theory is very often tried to be applied to solving various problems in the field of medicine, including in the fight against aging of the body. There is an opinion that over time, the body's SC pool is depleted. This is not entirely true. Aging – the result of irreversible changes in molecular processes inside stem cells and in their environment.

It must be remembered that irreversible damage to tissue structures and functional relationships between all tissue elements leads to a distortion of the regeneration niches. Niches lose their ability to accurately and fully reproduce tissue elements over time. Thus, the differentiation of cells, which will determine the development of subsequent cell generations, will also gradually change.

In other words, there is a steady distortion of functional and morphological interactions within the tissue. "This is the cause of aging at the tissue level" – considers Corresponding Member of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine Professor Tsymbalyuk V. I. The conducted studies show that the introduction of embryonic SCs for the correction of age-related changes has no practical significance. During aging, the structure of intrasystemic processes is disturbed, and therefore immature cells differentiate already in conditions of an altered environment.

From this it follows that SC transplantation may not only fail to give the effect of rejuvenation, but also exacerbate existing age-related changes. This means that the use of SC is appropriate in the context of a complex intervention such as tissue engineering.