Since the field of gerontology really lacks a consensus on this issue, I'll
just give you my view and hope that others out there will post theirs. I
view different ageing rates as differences in the protective/repair capaciti
es of different organisms, as determined by their genetic capabilities. The
process of ageing itself seems to me to be merely an expression of the secon
d law of thermodynamics, but the defenses against this onslaught of the
universe are tremendously variable between organisms. Because I am a molec
ular biologist, I tend to think most about DNA repair but my mental image of
the process of ageing and organismic defenses encompasses organismal respons
es, neuroendocrine responses, cellular responses, organellar responses, and
responses at the biocchemical level. I am interested in the idea of a cell
autonomous ageing clock, but I am not really convinced that such exists.
Laura Hoopes
