Scientists had successfully created a new breed of mice that can reduce free radicals at the cellular level to extend life for themselves.
The reactive oxygen of the free radicals are known to damage cells and tissues that may lead to poor health and even death. The new research may be the first step towards increasing mortality through the free radical theory of ageing.The new mice created by the research team produced higher than normal levels of antioxidant enzyme catalase. The cells can use this catalase to convert hydrogen peroxide that can damage cells into water and molecular oxygen, in the ctytoplasm of the cells. The mice, created by the research team of University of Washington, Seattle, US, can produce high levels of catalase in their mitochondria of the cells. This had lessened the cellular danmage or the effect of age to heart much more than the mice who produced this catalase in their cytoplasm.
The net effect of the research was that the new mice could live 20% more than the other mice.
Researchers feel that this can be a pathbraeker for increasing mortality in humans, although instead of genetic mutations, drugs may need to be used that can boost the production of high levels of catalase in the mitochondria of human cells.
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