Turkish scientist manages to rejuvenate cells

Melika Çalkap – ISTANBUL

In an effort to stop diseases linked to aging, a Turkish scientist has managed to rejuvenate cells in a laboratory setting.

During research led by Prof. Dr. Derya Unutmaz, a scientist at the Jackson Laboratory in the U.S., a revolutionary success was achieved in rejuvenating living cells in the laboratory environment, paving the way for major developments in medicine.

According to the professor, it will take a bit longer before this study can be implemented on humans.

Stating that the organs of a 70-year-old person will be able to function as if they were a young adult in the next 25 years after the completion of the study, Unutmaz explained they have found that the cells can be rejuvenated in two different methods.

The first method is to transform any kind of human cell into a stem cell and inject it back to the person’s body. In this way, the researcher has found that both a more youthful appearance can be achieved and many diseases caused by aging can be prevented.

The second method is to clean out old, impaired cells in the body and replace them with genes that will provide rejuvenation. Both methods are practices similar to vaccination.

It is really possible for humans to live for centuries in the future as when the cells are renewed, there is no biological obstacle to the rejuvenation of the body, Unutmaz said.

“Most cells in our bodies are constantly being renewed. This mechanism slows down after a while with age. Organs whose cells are not renewed as quickly as before lose their functions after a while. However, in the future, we will be able to restore the heart muscle cells of an 80-year-old to their 30-year-old state. We might also be able to renew immune, skin, bone and even brain cells.”