The illusion of cell immortality
2000
The Illusion of Cell Immortality
publication
Author Information
Author(s): Hayflick L
Primary Institution: Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Cell mortality and immortality are linked to longevity determination, aging, and cancer.
Conclusion
Normal cells are mortal, while immortal cells are often abnormal and resemble cancer cells.
Supporting Evidence
- Normal cultured cell populations are mortal.
- Cells that are immortal are abnormal and often have properties of cancer cells.
- Telomere attrition is linked to the finite capacity of normal cells to replicate.
- Telomerase helps immortal cancer cells bypass normal replication limits.
Takeaway
Some cells can live forever, but that's not normal and usually means something is wrong, like cancer.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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