Researchers have found the first evidence that telomere shortening is not just a sign of aging, but a key component of the body's cancer prevention system. As time goes by, the tips of your ...

Within each of our cells, long strands of DNA are folded into chromosomes and capped with protective structures called telomeres. But telomeres shorten as we age, eventually getting so whittled down ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. I became more interested in genetics and DNA when I learned about my own genetic mutation, MTHFR, and how it can play a role in ...

We depend on our cells being able to divide and multiply, whether it’s to replace sunburnt skin or replenish our blood supply and recover from injury. Chromosomes, which carry all of our genetic ...

A new study has surprised the medical world, finding that smoking does not shorten the length of telomeres -- a marker at the end of our chromosomes that is widely accepted as an indicator of aging.

A research group from the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) has found that an alteration in the POT1 gene prevents lung tissue from regenerating, which over time makes breathing difficult. The ...

Our genome is organized into chromosomes, which are shaped like little X's. Every time a cell divides, the genome has to be replicated, and there are protective caps called telomeres on the ends of ...

Scientists from Mass General Brigham explored the associations between telomere length—which decreases as a person ages or is exposed to unhealthy environments—and the risk for age-related brain ...

These end-points are often compared to the plastic protective covers on the tips of shoelaces. Much biological research overlooked the lowly telomere, preferring to focus on the chromosome as a whole.