Abstract
An evolutionary view of ageing suggests that mortality may be due to an energy-saving strategy of reduced error regulation in somatic cells. This supports Orgel's ‘error catastrophe’ hypothesis and offers a new basis for the study of normal and abnormal ageing syndromes and of apparently immortal transformed cell lines.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Weismann, A. in Weismann on Heredity (eds Poulton, E. B., Schönland, S. & Shipley, A. E.) 2nd edn, 23–42 (Oxford University Press, 1891).
Orgel, L. E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 49, 517–521 (1963).
Orgel, L. E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 67, 1476 (1970).
Hoffman, G. W. J. molec. Biol. 86, 349–362 (1974).
Kirkwood, T. B. L. & Holliday, R. J. molec. Biol. 97, 257–265 (1975).
Hayflick, L. & Moorhead, P. S. Expl Cell Res. 25, 585–621 (1961).
Littlefield, J. W. in Variation, Senescence and Neoplasia in Cultured Somatic Cells, 62–64 (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1976).
Martin, G., Sprague, C. & Epstein, C. Lab. Invest. 23, 86–92 (1970).
Kirkwood, T. B. L. & Holliday, R. J. theor. Biol. 53, 481–496 (1975).
Holliday, R., Huschtscha, L. I., Tarrant, G. M. & Kirkwood, T. B. L. Science (in the press).
Holliday, R. & Tarrant, G. M. Nature 238, 26–30 (1972).
Linn, S., Kairis, M. & Holliday, R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 2818–2822 (1976).
Dawkins, R. in The Selfish Gene 13–21 (Oxford University Press, 1976).
Hopfield, J. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 4135–4139 (1974).
Holliday, R. Fedn Proc. 34, 51–55 (1975).
Maynard Smith, J. & Price, G. R. Nature 246, 15–18 (1973).
Medawar, P. B. An Unsolved Problem in Biology (H. K. Lewis, London, 1952).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kirkwood, T. Evolution of ageing. Nature 270, 301–304 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/270301a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/270301a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Growth and longevity modulation through larval environment mediate immunosenescence and immune strategy of Tenebrio molitor
Immunity & Ageing (2024)
-
Costs of reproduction are present but latent in eusocial bumblebee queens
BMC Biology (2023)
-
The role of genetics and epigenetics in sex differences in human survival
Genus (2023)
-
The novel Orshina Rhythm in a colonial urochordate signifies the display of recurrent aging/rejuvenation sequels
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
Inclusive fitness forces of selection in an age-structured population
Communications Biology (2023)