Power to the People

Abstract

Mutations that cripple a molecular relay system similar to the mammalian insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling pathways enhance longevity in worms and flies. The pathways appear to influence mammalian life span as well, but that idea is far from proven. Now, rare genetic perturbations in those signals are opening a window onto how the pathways influence human aging. And new studies on rodents with similar genetic snafus might help scientists ink in the connections.