Scientists have been successful in trying to invigorate cells from donors aged 100 and up, a major breakthrough in arresting aging.

The AVENIR Genomic Plasticity and Aging Team from Inserm was led by Jean Marc Lemaitre, a researcher from the Functional Genomics Institute. Their results were published in the Genes & Development Journal Nov. 1.

The old cells were rejuvenated through an in vitro process in order to induce pluripotent stem cells and human embryonic stem cells. These two resulting new cells can be differentiated once more through another rejuvenation process resulting in younger and revitalized human cells.

Human embryonic stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can serve multiple functions. They can be utilized in the production of adult cells in the other parts of the body. In 2007, other groups of researchers tried to reprogram human adult cells in order to produce induced pluripotent cells that are very similar to human embryonic stem cells. The researchers were looking for ways to ethically reprogram human cell types without having to deal with restrictions related to embryonic stem cells.

Up until now, researchers conducting similar anti-aging studies considered senescence, which is the last process involved in cellular aging, a big hurdle in trying out their anti-aging processes for elderly patients. Lemaitre’s team were able to successfully obliterate signs of aging, thus showing that cellular aging can be reversed.

Lemaitre’s team used a combination of six genetic aspects that aided in revitalizing the old human cells and then proceeded in obliterating the signs of aging. The six genetic factors were: OCT4, SOX2, C MYM, KLF4, NANOG and LIN28. The study then showed that the induced pluripotent cells are able to reprogram themselves to all possible types of human cells. These cells also carry the characteristics of young cells in terms of capacity and metabolism, both essential in the cells’ survival and maintenance.