Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania revealed an amazing scientific discovery that confirms that… Parental DNA It can directly affect the length of telomeres — the final parts of chromosomes responsible for protecting genetic material — in the fetus in the early days of development.
The results of this study, published in the scientific journal Current Biology, shed light on a very early stage in the formation of life, in which parental genes may determine future health and longevity.
Experiments on mice reveal the surprise
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The researchers conducted experiments on mice, where they mated mice with long and short telomeres. The results were unexpected:
When the father had long telomeres and the mother had short ones, the fetuses had longer telomeres than expected.
However, when the mother had long telomeres and the father had short telomeres, the embryos had shorter telomeres.
This means that parental genes may have a greater influence in some cases on the genetic traits that determine the speed of aging.
Rare biological mechanism: activation of the ALT system
Scientists have observed that this disparity in the length of telomeres between parents leads to the activation of a special mechanism in the fetal cells known as ALT (Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres), a mechanism that is usually found in cancer cells, and is used to lengthen telomeres in unconventional ways.
Amazing similarity between humans and mice
The data suggest that children born to older parents often have longer telomeres, which is consistent with the results of the study in mice.
Researchers are currently working on analyzing the genes of human families using modern techniques to decode the genetic code, to find out whether the same phenomenon occurs in humans.
Why does this discovery matter?
This discovery may help scientists understand the mechanisms of aging more deeply, and contribute to the development of new ways to prevent age-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and dementia.
The length of telomeres is a direct indicator of cell health and the rate of aging in the body.
