What accounts for the wide variation in life span of genetically identical organisms reared in a constant environment?
Open accessAbstract
Individual organisms show marked variability in life span, even when they are of the same genotype and are raised in a common environment protected from extrinsic hazards. This intrinsic variability of life span is thought to arise from the stochastic nature of the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling development and ageing. In this article we review what is currently understood about the factors underlying the variability of life span and consider the implications for research that aims to improve the predictability of health in old age.
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A hallmark of aging processes, including cellular senescence, is their inherent stochastic heterogeneity.
“A hallmark of aging processes, including cellular senescence, is their inherent stochastic heterogeneity (Kirkwood et al, 2005; Passos et al, 2007a).”
From Feedback between p21 and reactive oxygen production is necessary for cell senescence (2010) · cites this paper as Kirkwood et al, 2005
Even for genetically identical organisms maintained in identical environments, there remains a large variability of aging trajectories as determined by lifespan.
“Furthermore, even for genetically identical organisms maintained in identical environments, there remains a large variability of aging trajectories (presumably related to different rates of aging) as determined by lifespan.22”
From Asynchronous, contagious and digital aging (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
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- Authors
- Kirkwood, T. B. L., Feder, M., Finch, C. E., Franceschi, C., Globerson, A., Klingenberg, C. P., LaMarco, K., Omholt, S., & Westendorp, R. G. J.
- Affiliations
- Newcastle University (GB)
- University of Chicago (US)
- University of Southern California (US)
- University of Bologna (IT)
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Leiden University Medical Center (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Kirkwood, Thomas B.L.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-03
- Volume
- 126
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 439-443
- ISSN
- 0047-6374 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2096570816
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 1.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- Mechanisms of Ageing and Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
- Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion)
- Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
- Funders
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BEP17 042)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Keywords
- intrinsic variability, aging, randomness, development (biology), elderly health
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Environment, Longevity, Caenorhabditis elegans
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