> >Could it be that telomerase is harmful in some tissues?
>
> My guess is that its production is inactivated in somatic cells as a
> general prophylaxis against cancer. Immortal tumors do, indeed, switch
> telomerase production back on. If we wish to extend our lives by tweaking
> this mechanism, we're going to have to be *very careful*...
Yes, there is likely a balance between cell regeneration and cancer risk.
Something I have been thinking of is if we could find ways of making
the control machinery of cell division more robust. I have the
impression that the p53 control is far too easily sabotaged by
mutations; a double check there would be nice.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y