Scientists have rejuvenated stem cells

The study showed that the key problem of these aging cells is located inside — in lysosomes. These are small, in a sense, processing stations that purify the cell of unnecessary substances and help it maintain energy and health. As we age, the lysosomes in stem cells begin to malfunction: they become overactive, too acidic, and literally burn out, ceasing to perform their cleansing function. Because of this, cells accumulate damaged molecules, lose their ability to renew normally, change the way genes work, and trigger chronic inflammation, one of the main manifestations of aging.

A way was found to slow down the work of damaged lysosomes, returning them to their normal state. After treatment with a special substance, old cells began to behave like young ones: their energy improved, the proper functioning of mitochondria was restored, inflammatory signals decreased, and the ability to renew blood increased dramatically. In fact, such cells began to produce healthy blood cells again and retain the properties of real young stem cells. In laboratory experiments, their restored potential increased by more than eight times.

This result is especially important because it shows that stem cell aging is a process that can be reversed if the right mechanism is applied. This opens the way to new treatments for age-related blood diseases, strengthening the immune system in the elderly, and improving the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation. Moreover, the researchers suggest that problems in lysosomes may be related to the appearance of cancer cells, and are now investigating whether restoring the normal operation of such cellular cleaners can prevent such dangerous changes.

Scientific work shows that old cells have a hidden potential for rejuvenation — you just need to correct a key malfunction. Experts cautiously point out that there is still a lot of research to be done before using this method in humans, but the fact that the aging of blood cells can be reversed opens up new prospects for longevity medicine.