Cellular Senescence and Senotherapeutics
Cellular senescence was once considered “the end” – a point where cultured somatic cells simply stopped proliferating. The recent recognition of senescence as a central mechanism underlying aging and the development of age-associated disorders has given rise to senotherapeutics, a class of therapies dedicated to targeting cellular senescence and either eliminating senescent cells or modifying their senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), the pro-inflammatory factors they secrete. Because the accumulation of senescent cells contributes to tissue dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and age-related diseases, emerging anti-aging and regenerative medicine strategies are evolving into precision senescence medicine and taking aim at cellular senescence to enhance human healthspan.