Telomerase is the enzyme that lengthens and extends lifespan of cells, a detailed image of the molecular structure of human telomerase has been published in Nature by researchers from the University of California.
Loss of genetic material during cellular replication is preventing by telomerase adding short regions of telomeres to the ends of chromosomes, that is inactive in most adults cells, which means it shortens during our lifetime, the shortening is thought to be responsible for aging, reactivation can be seen in cancer allowing cells to proliferate uncontrollably.
