Aging 101
What is the natural process of growing older called?
Aging
Name one visible sign of aging.
Wrinkles, gray and thin hair, slower movement, prone to diseases, weak muscles and bones
What type of food is best for slowing the aging process?
Fruits or Vegetables
What are the structures at the ends of chromosomes that shorten as cells divide?
Telomeres
What do we call the stage where the body begins to decline after age 30?
Senescence
What causes hair to turn gray as we age?
The loss of melanin-producing cells called melanocytes
What daily habit can protect your skin from premature aging caused by UV radiation?
Using Sunscreen
What kind of damage to our DNA can cause cells to stop dividing?
DNA mutations or breaks
Who discovered that human cells can only divide a limited number of times?
Leonard Hayflick and Paul Moorhead
What is the condition where bones become weak and brittle with age?
Osteoporosis
What kind of exercise helps maintain bone density and muscle strength as you age?
Walking
What cellular organelle, known as the "powerhouse of the cell," weakens with age?
Mitochondria
What is the term for the maximum number of times a human cell can divide?
Hayflick Limit
What part of the eye becomes cloudy with age, leading to blurry vision?
The lens – condition is called cataracts
What vitamin is essential for calcium absorption and preventing bone loss in older adults?
Vitamin D
What gene, known as the "guardian of the genome," stops damaged cells from dividing?
p53
What are the three main biological mechanisms that cause cells to enter senescence?
Telomere erosion, DNA damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction
What is the name of the chemical signals released by senescent cells that cause inflammation?
Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype or SASP
What lifestyle factor can cause telomeres to shorten more quickly?
Chronic stress or smoking
What is the process where damaged cells stop dividing but remain active, contributing to aging?
Cellular senescence