There is a type of cells that represent one of the greatest enemies for all those people immersed in a fight against aging. These are senescent cells, probably more popularly known by another, slightly creepier term: zombie cells. Why do they receive this nickname? The reason is due to the similarities that these have with said series, typical of horror films. These cells are characterized because, despite having stopped functioning as they should, they do not perish, but rather remain alive.
The consequence is that these zombie cells accumulate throughout life, and the effect they have on the body has to do with their role as contributors to tissue aging. Furthermore, senescent cells are capable of causing this altered state that characterizes them and causing the healthy cells that are close to them to also begin to stop functioning correctly. So they will also become zombie cells.
Although it may seem implausible to many that the body contains zombie cells, the reality is that their original function is positive for the organism, which is why it requires certain nuances. As a simplification, it could be said that the cells of the body have a specific lifespan. Once this is reached, they die so as not to have a negative impact on the organism.
In the particular case of zombie cells, they are still alive and are dedicated to emitting toxins that are of great help in eliminating cancer cells and thus preventing the formation of tumors. Once their function has been fulfilled, the zombie cells should be eliminated. However, this does not always happen and the body’s effectiveness in getting rid of them worsens over time. That is why they accumulate, end up affecting other healthy cells and thus, gradually, become one of the causes of aging. Since they play a key role in the development of diseases related to the body’s aging process: osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, dementia and more.
There are certain measures that will help in the task of combating zombie cells. And all of them, at least for the moment, are focused on prevention, in which antioxidant substances and preventing cells from being damaged play a key role if their presence is to be avoided as much as possible.
