Telomeres: What are they, and how do they impact aging?

Telomeres are the “caps” that shield the ends of DNA strands from being destroyed by a cell. They’re made up of areas of repeated DNA sequences mixed with particular proteins on the ends of chromosomes — the tightly wound buildings of DNA and proteins inside cells. Telomeres play a job in how briskly cells age, although precisely how is not completely clear.

Organisms with out round chromosomes — together with people, different animals, crops and even single-celled protists — have telomeres. Telomeres act as obstacles, stopping DNA from being degraded and corrupted.