In vivo studies headed by researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, have demonstrated that destroying senescent cells in the aging stem cell niche enhances hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function in mice. “Our results provide further support for the notion that excessive senescence is a driving factor behind aging, and even late-life reduction of these cells can rejuvenate and restore the function of the stem cell niche,” said David Kaplan, PhD, senior scientist at SickKids. “Moreover, they identify stem cells as a key cellular target, potentially explaining the widespread effects of senescent cells on tissue decline.”
Kaplan, and colleagues at SickKids, together with researchers at the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia, describe their results in Stem Cell Reports, in a paper titled, “Restoration of hippocampal neural precursor function by ablation of senescent cells in the aging stem cell niche,” in which they concluded, “Collectively, these results indicate that senescent cells directly contribute to neurogenic decline in the middle-aged hippocampus, and that clearance of these cells can partially restore hippocampal neurogenesis and function… Continue reading.