Abstract
Aging is here defined as inherent, progressive, irreversible impairments of function. It occurs not only in higher organisms but also as far down the scale of beings as some — but not all — unicellular organisms. What does the whole array of organisms tell us about aging? Is there a good identifiable reason for its existence? Are there any general bases or causes of aging? In searching for answers to these questions, I shall be guided by evolutionary considerations.
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Bibliography
General
Comfort, A. 1964. Ageing, the biology of senescence. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., New York.
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References to Hypotheses and Particular Examples
On hypotheses about aging, see: L. Hayflick, American Journal of Medical Science 265: 433 (1973), for programmed number of possible cell divisions of fibroblasts; R. Holliday and J. E. Pugh, Science 187: 226 (1975), for a possible molecular mechanism controlling the number of cell divisions until a differentiative event occurs; R. Hart and R. B. Setlow, Mechanisms of Aging and Development 5: 67 (1976), for decline of repair of genetic damage in aging; R. Holliday, L. I. Huschtscha, G. M. Tarrant, and T. B. L. Kirkwood, Science 198: 366 (1977), for the hypothesis of commitment to aging as an event occurring among descendants of previously potentially immortal tissue cells; R. Martin, in Vol. 7 of ICN-UCLA symposium proceedings (molecular human cytogenetics) (D. E. Comings, R. S. Sparks, and C. F. Fox, eds.), Academic Press, Inc., New York (1977), for hypothesis of repair of genetic damage in germ-like cells during meiosis and for discussion and references concerning the genetic material as the primary seat of aging; D. L. Nanney, Mechanisms of Aging and Development 3: 81 (1974), for the hypothesis that cells may use random events to measure time, including aging, an idea related to the commitment and error hypotheses; L. E. Orgel, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 67: 1476 (1970), for hypothesis of aging by accumulation of errors.
On aging in Paramecium, see H. S. Jennings, Journal of Experimental Zoology 99: 15 (1945); T. M. Sonneborn, Journal of Protozoology 7: 38 (1954); articles by T. M. Sonneborn and coworkers in Strehler’s book listed among the general references above; articles by Joan Smith-Sonneborn and collaborators in Radiation Research 46: 64 (1971), Journal of Cell Biology 61: 591 (1974), and Journal of Cell Science 14: 691 (1974). On aging in Euplotes, see R. Katashima, Journal of Science of Hiroshima University, Ser. B, Div. 1, 23: 59 (1971). On aging in the flatworm, Stenostomum, see T. M. Sonneborn, Journal of Experimental Zoology 57: 157 (1930).
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© 1978 Plenum Press, New York
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Sonneborn, T.M. (1978). The Origin, Evolution, Nature, and Causes of Aging. In: Behnke, J.A., Finch, C.E., Moment, G.B. (eds) The Biology of Aging. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3994-6_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3994-6_21
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