Researchers have analyzed the blood of a supercentenary and have detected 400 genetic mutations. A valuable discovery for scientists.
Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, who died in 2005 at the age of 115, was the oldest woman in the world and was in good general health. After donating her body to science, researchers analyzed the blood of this Dutch woman.
Posted online at Genome Research, the study shows that researchers at the University of Amsterdam detected more than 400 mutations in the DNA of this woman’s blood cells. This discovery confirms, on the one hand, that during the process of cell division normally occur errors responsible for mutations in our genetic code and, on the other hand, that some mutations are not harmful to health, especially if they occur. find important gene sites for cell function far away.
A cell longevity index
By analyzing the white blood cells after her death, the researchers also discovered that the cells in this woman’s blood were produced only by two cell strains that had the end of the chromosomes very short. The length of the latter, also called telomere, is a good indication of the longevity of each cell. This finding therefore supports the hypothesis that telomere length is a factor that can predict cell death.
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