Abstract
A hypothesis as to the nature of the ageing process is presented. Our studies lead us to emphasise that ageing is a stochastic process; it is individualistic, it is species specific, it is different for individuals within a species, it is organ and tissue specific as well as varying among individual cells of a tissue. Human ageing is a slow process which takes place over decades; it is a cellular process in a dynamic equilibrium of continuing damage and repair. Tissues are damage mosaics. We hypothesise that the characteristic of ageing post-mitotic tissues is the progressive, slow loss of cells; those cells which no longer adequately function are removed by an apoptotic or non-inflammatory necrotic process. A case is made for an encompassing role for coenzyme Q10 in the regulation of systemic disease, cellular metabolism and ageing.
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Linnane, A.W. Cellular coenzyme Q10 redox poise constitutes a major cell metabolic and gene regulatory system. Biogerontology 3, 3–6 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015266204771
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015266204771