Rejuvenate Old Cells

Korean research team found a method to rejuvenate old cells and make them active as young cells. The research team led by Prof. Park Sang-Chul (photo, biochemistry professor at the College of Medicine in Seoul National University) announced that their research product on the prevention of aging, which was performed as a BK21 project, was published in FASEB`s volume of May, a renowned academic journal for biochemistry.

``When cells mature, the speed of receiving various materials, which are crucial for the growth, preservation, and protection of cells, from outside the cells slows down,`` Prof. Park said. ``When we injected a particular gene that generates `amphipicin` protein, the older cells were found to be rapidly receiving outer materials,`` he added.

As a result of the research, the epochal development of new method for the cure of senile infirmities and the aging prevention is expected.

Researcher Park Jung-Soo (29) said, ``[The team] started the research at first to figure out the reason why the reactions of old cells slow down and they discovered the significant reduction of amphipicin in old cells.``

Prof. Park remarked, ``This research was implemented only in the laboratory to find the cause of cell-aging and therefore further researches on the functions of amphipicin need to be performed to locate the process of diseases related to aging. We will also undertake researches on the diseases caused by the mal-functions of organs.

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