Genetic recombination in mammalian somatic cells: a brief note

Cellular and molecular aspects of immune system aging

We begin with a brief discussion of the importance and advantages of immune studies to the problem of aging. This is followed by a short over-view of immune system aging at the systemic level. The major portion of the article is a review of observation, both at the cellular and molecular level, of changes in aging immune cells, with sections on intercellular communication, membrane phenomena, cyclic nucleotides, and molecular genetic changes.

Loss of gene repression activity: a theory of cellular senescence

Recent evidence bearing on cellular senescence has come from cell fusion and clonal lifespan studies. To date, no model has been developed that is consistent with the recent findings. The purpose of this paper is to present a mechanism for cell senescence that is qualitatively consistent with the experimental evidence.

Some mathematics of recombination: evolution of complexity and genotypic modification in somatic cells - a possible model for aging and cancer effects

A plausible discrete time model is proposed, in an effort to explain genotypic modificaton via genetic recombination. The model is used in an effort to explain the evolution of macromolecular complexity. By macromolecular complexity we mean the evolution of a more complex form of a given protein or enzyme from its less-complex ancestors. The model is also used to draw some conclusions concerning the utility of recombination events in aging and carcinogenesis.