Telomere length is determined using a ratio of the genetic material contained in a nucleated white blood cell.
Eventually, the telomeres become too short to allow cell replication, the cell stops dividing and will ultimately die – a normal biological process. SpectraCell’s Telomere Test can determine the length of a patient’s telomeres in relation to the patient’s age. Reporting: Telomere length is determined using a ratio of the genetic material contained in a nucleated white blood cell telomere relative to the length of a single copy gene of known size to calculate an approximate telomere score. This ratio is then compared to a population of people with similar chronological The studies identified an association between telomere length and a gene variant called rs12696304 on the chromosome 3q26. The researchers say that possessing the variant is associated with a person having a shorter average telomere length that equates to about 3.6 years of age-related telomere shortening. The telomeres found at the ends of chromosomes shorten with age. Genetic tests to determine how quickly a person will age may soon be available, according to several newspapers. The news is based on the recent discovery of a genetic variation that apparently predisposes some people to faster ageing. Baird et al. (48) described single-telomere length analysis as a viable platform for measuring telomere length in 2003. Single-telomere-length analysis was developed to measure the telomere length of single chromosomes to investigate whether individual critically short telomeres influenced cell senescence. Consequently, yeast cells are more amenable to studies of telomere structure and dynamics. Telomeres in inbred mice are much longer (20,000–150,000 base pairs) than telomeres in humans, and mice have a higher baseline expression of telomerase (1, 10). Telomere Length has been proposed as a marker for biological aging of the cardiovascular system. Telomere attrition and vascular aging Studies (Benetos et al., 2004; Brouilette et al., 2007; Fitzpatrick et al., 2007) have shown that high rate of telomere attrition is associated with elevated CVD risk. Telomerase is the enzyme that is responsible for the elongation of the telomere, an action that reverses the telomere attrition. Higher telomerase activity would increase Telomere Length and extend cell proliferation potential, while lower activity would result in shorter telomere (Nicholls et al., 2011). Shorter telomere length has also been associated with an increased risk for a number of chronic diseases including metabolic abnormalities, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, dementia and premature death. A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration. Telomere Testing. A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration. Telomeres are longer in youth and progressively shorten with each cell division until a critical shortening has occurred which signals cell senescence or cell death Telomere length provides the best measure of an individual’s biological age compared to their chronological age, where shorter telomeres reflect more advanced biological age. Telomeres shortening can be accelerated by harmful environmental factors like oxidative stress and unhealthy lifestyles. A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration. Slight changes in the percentage of short telomeres with aging, lifestyle or life quality are not reflected in mean telomere length. Life Length is the only company globally which can provide individuals a scientifically-rigorous estimate of one's biological age based on the percentage of critically-short telomeres. Life Length's TAT (Telomere Analysis Technology) is the most valuable, versatile and scalable technology in the world, and the only one available which allows for the calculation of the percentage of short telomeres, the relevant indicator of the extent of cellular aging. Through a simple blood test, telomere length is determined in an individual’s lymphocytes, which is then compared to telomere length in a population of people with similar chronological age. In a few short weeks, you will have your detailed results with estimated biological age to look over. A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration.
http://www.conciergemedicinela.com/comprehensive-blood-tests/telomere-testing/ http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/02February/Pages/telomere-aging-genetics-discovered.aspx http://epirev.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/01/08/epirev.mxs008.full http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/40891.pdf http://alternityhealthcare.com/services-2/chromosome-analysis/ http://alternityhealthcare.com/services-2/chromosome-analysis/ http://alternityhealthcare.com/services-2/chromosome-analysis/ http://www.immunematrix.com/joomla-dist/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68&Itemid=81 http://alternityhealthcare.com/services-2/chromosome-analysis/
what biological factors determine an individual's telomere length