The duration for which a cell maintains robust functional integrity, proliferative capacity, and resistance to stress before entering a state of senescence or programmed death. It represents the quality of cellular life, directly correlating with the overall healthspan of the organism. Maintaining a high cellular healthspan is paramount for preserving tissue and organ function, particularly in hormone-producing glands and cognitive centers. This biological metric is a key focus in longevity medicine, moving beyond mere cellular survival to active, high-quality function.
Origin
The term is a modern construct within geroscience, combining ‘cellular,’ the fundamental unit of life, with ‘healthspan,’ a concept emphasizing healthy, functional years. It emerged as researchers began to define aging not just by chronological time but by quantifiable cellular degradation markers. Its roots are in molecular biology and gerontology, studying phenomena like telomere shortening and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Mechanism
Cellular healthspan is regulated by multiple interconnected pathways, including nutrient sensing pathways like mTOR and AMPK, and mechanisms for DNA repair. Maintaining mitochondrial function, which governs cellular energy production, is a core mechanism. Hormonal signaling plays a regulatory role, with optimal levels of hormones like DHEA and growth hormone supporting cellular resilience and minimizing oxidative stress-induced damage.
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