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| Review |
| Telomeres, aging and cancer: In search of a happy ending |
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| Sahn-ho Kim, Patrick Kaminker and Judith Campisi |
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Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
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Correspondence to: J Campisi, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Mailstop 84-171, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; E-mail: JCAMPISI@LBL.gov |
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| Abstract |
| Telomeres are distinctive structures, composed of a repetitive DNA sequence and associated proteins, that cap the ends of linear chromosomes. Telomeres are essential for maintaining the integrity and stability of eukaryotic genomes. In addition, under some circumstances, telomeres can influence cellular gene expression. In mammals, the length, structure, and function of telomeres have been proposed to contribute to cellular and organismal phenotypes associated with cancer and aging. Here, we discuss what is known about the basis for the links between telomeres, aging and cancer, and some of the known and proposed consequences of telomere dysfunction and maintenance for mammalian cells and organisms. Oncogene (2002) 21, 503-511 DOI: 10.1038/sj/onc/1205077 |
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| Keywords |
| antagonistic pleiotropy; cellular senescence; genomic instability; immortalization; telomerase; tumor suppression |
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| 21 January 2002, Volume 21, Number 4, Pages 503-511 |
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