Men and mice: Relating their ages
Abstract
Since the late 18th century, the murine model has been widely used in biomedical research (about 59% of total animals used) as it is compact, cost-effective, and easily available, conserving almost 99% of human genes and physiologically resembling humans. Despite the similarities, mice have a diminutive lifespan compared to humans. In this study, we found that one human year is equivalent to nine mice days, although this is not the case when comparing the lifespan of mice versus humans taking the entire life at the same time without considering each phase separately. Therefore, the precise correlation of age at every point in their lifespan must be determined. Determining the age relation between mice and humans is necessary for setting up experimental murine models more analogous in age to humans. Thus, more accuracy can be obtained in the research outcome for humans of a specific age group, although current outcomes are based on mice of an approximate age. To fill this gap between approximation and accuracy, this review article is the first to establish a precise relation between mice age and human age, following our previous article, which explained the relation in ages of laboratory rats with humans in detail.
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10-month-old mice correspond to the timing of human reproductive aging at 35 years old.
“Depending on the timing (35 years old) of human reproductive aging, 10-month-old mice were correspondingly selected [13]”
22-month-old mice meet criteria for an elderly phenotype.
“At this age, mice meet the criteria for an elderly phenotype, characterized by widespread senescent alterations across multiple biomarkers [104].”
From Tau Ablation Rewires Brain Cell Programs in Health and Restores Function in Disease (2026) · cites this paper as [104]
Motor and coordination deficits predominantly affecting the hind legs appeared in about 25% of Abcd1−/− mice at 18 months of age.
“Motor and coordination deficits predominantly affecting the hind legs appeared in ~25% of Abcd1−/− mice at 18 months, an age comparable to ~50 years in humans [177] (Figure 1).”
From Revisiting the Pathogenesis of X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (2025) · cites this paper as [177]
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Tau Ablation Rewires Brain Cell Programs in Health and Restores Function in Disease
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- Authors
- Dutta, S., & Sengupta, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Calcutta (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Sengupta, Pallav
- Venue
- Life Sciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-05
- Volume
- 152
- Pages
- 244-248
- ISSN
- 0024-3205 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1771974095
- Cited by
- 1,710
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 172 · 2025: 228 · 2024: 260 · 2023: 196 · 2022: 201 · 2021: 200 · 2020: 177 · 2019: 115 · 2018: 96 · 2017: 53 · 2016: 11 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 21.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Life Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal testing and alternatives
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
- Keywords
- mouse age, human age, lifespan, mouse model, translational research, developmental stages
- MeSH terms
- Aging, Animals, Humans, Longevity, Sexual Maturation, Species Specificity, Mice
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