Zombie Cells: How Senescence Drives Aging & Disease
Senescent "zombie" cells—cells that stop dividing but refuse to die—accumulate with age and secrete inflammatory molecules that damage neighboring tissues, driving chronic diseases like arthritis, Alzheimer's, and heart disease. Comprising only 2–3% of tissue mass, these cells act as master regulators of aging. New senolytic drugs that selectively eliminate them have extended lifespan by 20–30% in mice and are now in human trials, with early successes restoring vision in diabetic patients. Li...
