What is Senescence?
Cellular senescence is a state of sustained cell cycle arrest in which proliferating cells grow resistant to growth-promoting stimuli, usually in reaction to DNA damage.
Leonard Hayflick first identified senescence after observing that human fetal fibroblasts stopped dividing but remained viable and metabolically active after being cultured for an extended period. Senescent cells differ from both quiescent cells (which can reenter the cell cycle) and terminally differentiated cells.
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Identifying Senescent Cells
Even though senescent cells share some traits, no single assay or biomarker can definitively detect the senescent cells in all cell kinds or under different conditions. This is because various senescent cells exhibit different senescence biomarkers.
In addition, senescence biomarkers are not always limited to senescent cells. For example, some markers can be found in apoptotic cells or quiescent cells. As a result, detecting senescent cells requires the observation of several biomarkers.
These biomarkers can be identified using CST kits that test for senescence in various ways, offering an effective method for identifying senescent cells. Employing a combination of these markers will offer an improved comprehension of the senescence status.
This free eBook from Cell Signaling Technology presents comprehensive information about antibodies kits, and related reagents for cellular senescence.
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