Human Longevity: A revolution in biotechnology and nanotechnology.
DNA is not only the abbreviation of Deoxyribonucleic acid but in fact it is the abbreviation of whole life. It contains the instructions in genetically coded form, which are used in growth and proper functioning of any living organisms. It is the abbreviation of life as it stores all information required to construct life.
Biotechnology and nanotechnology had grasped this concept and had made yesterday's fictions and dreams today's facts. Today it is possible that we can completely map any individual genetic codes and on case by case, we can evaluate and can do predisposition for deadly diseases like breast cancer, heart diseases and many other hereditary diseases that are transferred from one generation to next. With the isolation of any gene, it is just around the corner for biotechnology to either enhance or inhibit their role in life. The dream that human being can survive for hundreds of years as like different animals and plants will be fact soon. Today fiction or dream of human longevity will be made fact soon tomorrow and this will be done with biotechnology along with various applications of nanotechnology.
Apart from various reasons for longevity, science had discovered certain genes responsible for life span. Different animals on the planet earth have different life spans. Among human being itself, the life span varies. The life span ranges from few seconds to hundred of years in human being it self. The most lived human being on record was Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan who died at the age of 120 years and 237 days. The ocean clam quahogs live for 200 years and there are many animals and even plant whose genes make them possible to live for years. There are plants in California like Sequoia trees which are estimated to be of age 3500 years!
Isolating these genes and using them in human genome with the help of modern biotechnology and nanotechnology is not a fiction but is the fact is just around the corner. With the genetic modification of human genes and recent developments in nanotechnology, it is quite possible that we can prevent around 91 % of the maladies that slowly kill us, like cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, and liver disease. With the help of biotechnology we can make our life style systematic with proper metabolism, diet, proper genetics expressions, detoxification etc. One such example is hormones which are responsible for aging can per controlled with required genetic modifications, stress can be controlled with hormonal balance resulting in anti-aging. All these applications of biotechnology in human metabolism also add to longevity.
One study also shows a genetic mutation that is commonly found in people who had crossed over 100 years of age. The study is that, Centenarians are four times more likely to have a mutation that is called as C150T mutation. This mutation is relatively less and is only 3.4 per cent in people below the age of 99. This common mutation is the control region by which some people enjoy the age advantage. This C150T mutation may be a key for biotechnologist and nanotechnologist for adding time to the life of human beings. With today's mind-bending array of biotechnology and nanotechnology knowledge, it is possible to have millions of life who can live up to hundreds of years and there names will be continuously added in the list of Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan who live and enjoyed his life for 120 years!
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