[Cellular senescence and age-related diseases].

Cellular senescence(definition) is a state of durable cell cycle arrest after a defined number of cell divisions. The number of population doublings of normal cells in culture depends on the species but not on the types of cells used to establish the culture, showing a positive correlation with the life span of the animals. Therefore, the results suggest a physiological link between a limited proliferative capacity in cell culture and the processes observed in organismal aging. The pivotal role of senescence in organismal aging and the onset of age-related disorders, such as atherosclerosis, type II diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, is supported by the observation that the clearance of p16-positive senescent cells delays various age-associated disorders and extends healthy lifespan. In this review, I provide an overview of recent advances in understanding the mechanisms underlying the induction of senescence and maintenance of the specific phenotypes, such as senescence associated secretory phenotypes (SASP).