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Cited by 264Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsTelomeres, Telomerase, and SenescencePhilosophy of Biology and Scientific Explanation

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 18 of the 18 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Entropy Explains Aging, Genetic Determinism Explains Longevity, and Undefined Terminology Explains Misunderstanding Both

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Hayflick, Leonard·2007·PLoS Genetics
DOI 10.1371/journal.pgen.0030220PMC PMC2134939
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Abstract

ommunication in the field of biogerontology is a minefield because all of the commonly used terms have no universally accepted definitions.In a series of five annual meetings that I chaired recently in an attempt to define common terms, the dozen or more experts who attended could not agree on the definition of almost all of them, including ''aging.''The committee was disbanded and the communications dilemma remains.''Aging, Bench to Bedside,'' the collection of mini reviews published as a series in this journal, is representative of this unsolved problem.Not only does the problem result in communication failures, it also produces erroneous interpretations of research results; illogical allocation of research funds; and misdirected scientific, economic, social, and political policy decisions [1-3].There is no other field of science in which a similarly bleak situation exists.As a consequence of the terminology dilemma, I will define for use in this editorial the four aspects of the finitude of life: aging, the determinants of longevity, age-associated diseases, and death.I will not discuss the latter, although even this word defies a universally accepted definition.

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Research works printed but not linked: 14

  1. Hayflick, 2007, Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1100, 1
  2. Hayflick, 2004, J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 59, B573
  3. Hayflick, 2000, Nature, 408, 37
  4. Hayflick, 2000, Br J Canc, 83, 841
  5. Kujoth, 2007, PLoS Genet, 3
  6. Nystrom, 2007, PLoS Genet, 3
  7. Ackermann, 2003, Science, 300, 1920
  8. Hayflick, 1961, Exp Cell Res, 25, 585
  9. Stewart, 2005, PLoS Biol, 3
  10. Kaeberlein, 2007, PLoS Genet, 3
  11. Piper, 2007, PLoS Genet, 3
  12. Antebi, 2007, PLoS Genet, 3
  13. Hayflick, 2003, Contemp Gerontol, 10, 65
  14. Martin, 2007, PLoS Genet, 3

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Metadata

Authors
Hayflick, L.
Affiliations
University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Hayflick, Leonard
ORCID
Hayflick, Leonard
Venue
PLoS Genetics
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2007
Volume
3
Issue
12
Pages
e220
ISSN
  • 1553-7390 (ISSN-L)
  • 1553-7404
DOI
10.1371/journal.pgen.0030220
PMC
PMC2134939
OpenAlex
W2112599794
Cited by
260
References
18
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS Genetics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy of Biology and Scientific Explanation
Keywords
aging, longevity, terminological definitions, genetic determinism, age-related diseases, finitude of life, entropy, research funding allocation, science communication
MeSH terms
Aging, Animals, Geriatrics, Humans, Longevity, Terminology as Topic, Entropy

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