Aging is a natural yet highly complex biological phenomenon that affects all organisms, from single-celled yeast to complex humans and plants. Aging should not be confused with a single disease, but rather an overarching, systemic change over the period of an organism’s life. This process is characterized by a gradual decline in functions at the cellular, molecular, and organismic levels and increased risk of several diseases, such as cardiovascular abnormalities, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and cancer. Every living thing gradually deteriorates and breaks down as a result of the aging process caused by a complex web of biological cascades. This normal development can be crippling and raises the risk of many diseases. In an effort to reduce clinical load, restore functionality, and increase longevity, researchers in academia and industry have long worked to slow down or even reverse aging. Despite extensive research, the absence of rigorous study design and limited experimental validation has made it difficult to uncover effective treatments. In this immune-focused mechanistic review, we examine our current understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying aging and how this knowledge both helps and hinders the interpretation of results from experimental models that rely on these mechanisms. We also go over a few therapeutic approaches that have shown encouraging results in these model systems and may have clinical applications. Finally, we suggest a unified strategy that is required to thoroughly screen present and potential treatments and direct assessment toward effective treatments.
Ambreen Ilyas (Fri,) studied this question.