Long telomeres, the protective caps of eukaryotic chromosomes, which erode during aging, have been the symbol of youth and regenerative potential. It therefore came as a surprise, when several cross-sectional studies reported that telomeres in sperm cells of old men are longer than in young men and that paternal age is positively linked to telomere length of children. To explain the puzzling data, several theories have been put forward, from Darwinian selection to high telomerase activity or alternative telomere lengthening in sperms of geriatrics. Unfortunately, the idea of a birth-cohort effect has been ignored, despite existing theoretical models and despite findings of progressive telomere erosion between human generations. The old theoretical model of progressive telomere erosion in the female germline is discussed here and updated with the hypothesis that progressive telomere erosion is tied to the monogametic sex in all higher animals. Longitudinal studies of germline telomere length in humans are much needed, since a limited regenerative capacity of somatic tissues will most likely result in an increase in and earlier onset of the so-called age-associated diseases.

中文翻译：

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单配子性别的跨代端粒侵蚀：人类端粒在雌性种系中逐渐侵蚀，而在老年睾丸中则不会延长。

端粒长，是在衰老过程中逐渐消失的真核染色体保护帽，已成为青春和再生潜力的象征。因此，令人惊讶的是，几项横断面研究报告说，老年男性精子细胞中的端粒长于年轻男性，并且父亲的年龄与儿童端粒长度成正比。为了解释令人费解的数据，提出了几种理论，从达尔文选择到老年性精子中的高端粒酶活性或端粒延长。不幸的是，尽管有现有的理论模型并且尽管发现了人类世代之间渐进性的端粒侵蚀，但出生队列效应的观念却被忽略了。此处讨论了雌性生殖系中端粒进行性侵蚀的旧理论模型，并以以下假设进行了更新：渐进性端粒侵蚀与所有高等动物的单配子性有关。由于人体组织再生能力有限，最有可能导致所谓的与年龄相关的疾病增加和更早发作，因此非常需要在人类中进行生殖系端粒长度的纵向研究。