At the Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Pittsburgh, fast-aging elderly mice with a usual lifespan of approximately 21 days were injected with stem cells from younger mice. They were given an injection of stem cells approximately four days before they were expected to die, and the results were outstanding. Mice who were injected not only lived, but they lived three times their normal lifespan, surviving for an additional 71 days. In human terms, this would be the equivalent of an 80-year old living to be 200 years old.
The special progeric mice were genetically engineered to be fast-aging and whilst some researchers considered the experiment to be important some questioned the validity of the test given that the mice had been modified. What researchers wondered was, could these same effects be reproduced in basic unmodified mice and thus prove that stem cells are a modulator of lifespan. Mitra Lavasani led the study and we urge you to read the paper here to learn more about the effect of stem cells on longevity.
We are interested in exploring the effects of stem cell therapy, both through implanting numbers of new stem cells into a recipient and also by rejuvenating the stem cells already in the body and returning them to youthful function through signalling factors. The Major Mouse project is interested in undertaking this important work believing that vindication of this concept in large scale testing could be a significant step forward in how we treat aging and disease in the promotion of healthy longevity.