Language: Deutsch I English

Spokesperson

Prof. Dr. Karin Scharffetter-Kochanek
Klinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie
Universität Ulm
Maienweg 12
89081 Ulm

Head

Prof. Dr. Hartmut Geiger
Klinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie
Universität Ulm
James Franck-Ring 11c
89081 Ulm

Project 10

Investigation of the influence of the cellular composition from aged and young cells on organ preservation and organism aging

Telomere shortening limits human cell proliferation in cell culture to 50-70 divisions. During aging, telomeres are shortened in almost all human tissues. However, there are often no or very low percentages (10-20%) of senescent cells detectable in aged tissues. It is currently unknown what percentage of biologically aged cells is necessary to limit organ preservation and to induce organism aging. The main aim of our work is to answer these questions. To accomplish this, we generated two murine models: (i) chimeric mice from telomerase knockout and wild-type embryos, and (ii) conditional telomerase knockout mice. Both murine models can generate variable amounts of telomere dysfunctional (biologically aged) cells and telomere functional (biologically young) cells in the murine organ systems. This can be accomplished in an organ-specific manner using the conditional murine model.

Mice with different levels of telomere dysfunctional cells will be further evaluated for life span, organ preservation, and stem cell function. Additionally, this murine model will be used to investigate whether biologically young cells can reconstitute organ systems with biologically aged cells, which is important for the use of cell transplantation as a treatment strategy for age-associated organ degeneration. This work will also clarify if the p53-dependent depletion of biologically aged cells has a protective effect regarding organ preservation in chimeric mice.

Chief Investigator

Prof. Dr. med. Karl Lenhard Rudolph
Institute of Molecular Medicine and
Max-Planck-Research Group on Stem Cell Aging
University of Ulm
Albert-Einstein-Allee 11
89081 Ulm
Germany

Phone: +49 (0)731-50-3 61 01
Fax: +49 (0)731-50-3 61 02
Lenhard.Rudolph[at]uni-ulm.de

References

List of publications from:
Karl Lenhard Rudolph
>> Pubmed