An end to grey hair and crows-feet could be just 10 years away after scientists showed it is possible to reverse ageing in animals. 

 

科学家发现，动物的衰老过程有可能逆转。从此以后，可能仅需10年，人类就可以告别白发丛生，满脸皱纹的命运。

 

Using a new technique which takes adult cells back to their embryonic¹ form, US researchers at the Salk Institute in California, showed it was possible to reverse ageing in mice, allowing the animals to not only look younger, but live for 30 percent longer. 

 

The technique involves stimulating² four genes⁴ which are particularly active during development in the womb. It was also found to work to turn the clock back on human skin cells in the lab, making them look and behave younger. 

 

Scientists hope to eventually create a drug which can mimic⁵ the effect of the found genes which could be taken to slow down, and even reverse the ageing process. They say it will take around 10 years to get to human trials. 

 

"Our study shows that ageing may not have to proceed in one single direction," said Dr Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, a professor in Salk's Gene³ Expression Laboratory. "With careful modulation⁶, aging might be reversed." 

 

"Obviously, mice are not humans and we know it will be much more complex to rejuvenate⁷ a person. But this study shows that ageing is a very dynamic and plastic process, and therefore will be more amenable⁸ to therapeutic⁹ interventions¹⁰ than what we previously¹¹ thought." 

 

Scientists have known for some time that the four genes, which are known collectively as the Yamanaka factors, could turn adult cells back to their stem cell state, where they can grow into any part of the body. 

 

But it was always feared that allowing that to happen could damage organs made from the cells, and even trigger cancer. 

 

However, it was discovered that stimulating the genes intermittently¹² reversed ageing, without causing any damaging side effects.

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