38 THE SCIENTIST | the-scientist.com
For decades, senescent cells were ignored. No w, as evidence mounts
that they drive age-related disease, researchers are trying to fi nd ways to kill them.BY KATARINA ZIMMERZombie Hunt
SENESCENT CELLS: These
stained mouse keratinocytes
have undergone senescence in
response to overexpression of
an oncogenic form of the cell
growth regulator gene Ras.BIRGIT RITSCHKA, RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY, VIENNA, FORMERLY OF THE KEYES LAB