Ronald DePinho of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston demonstrates in an experiment on mice that using appropriate chemical signals it is possible to rejuvenate a genetically modified organism. The mice’s DNA is modified so that they do not express telomerase, which repairs chromosomes and slows aging, unless a specific chemical is administered that reactivates telomerase. As expected, the mice age prematurely, but when the signal substance is administered, the aging process is halted and even reversed. Specifically, tissue in several organs is regenerated, including the testes, spleen, intestine, brain, and even the sense of smell.
