Abstract

This is a short review concerning the problem of germ line “immortality,” which was already formulated by A. Weismann at the end of the 19th century. Over the following years, it attracted the attention of many gerontologists, who tried to understand the mechanisms of infinite transfer of genetic information from generation to generation with the help of germ cells, which, in contrast to somatic cells, avoid aging in this way. However, it remained unclear how the germ cells of women, which are in fact a population of non-dividing cells (it is similar to stationary phase aging non-subcultured cell culture), provide the mentioned immortality of the germ line. Distinguished Russian gerontologist Zh.A. Medvedev, who passed away recently, published in 1981 his brilliant work “On the Immortality of the Germ Line: Genetic and Biochemical Mechanisms. A Review,” the main points of which are relevant up to today. His paper just discusses the possible mechanisms of such “immortality.” They are analyzed in detail in the current article and can be reduced mainly to the existence of a number of barriers that, in most cases, do not allow progeny to emerge from “old” germ cells (although certain “rejuvenating” processes in the gametes still go). Therefore, children are “born young.” Some alternative approaches to explaining the immortality of the germ line are also considered. Special attention is paid to the “parental age effect” and the role of eggs and sperm cells in this phenomenon.

中文翻译：

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生殖线的不朽：永无止境的故事

摘要

这是关于种系“永生”问题的简短回顾，该问题已由A. Weismann在19世纪末提出。在接下来的几年中，它吸引了许多老年学家的注意力，他们试图通过生殖细胞来了解遗传信息在一代代之间无限转移的机制，与体细胞相比，生殖细胞以这种方式避免了衰老。但是，尚不清楚妇女的生殖细胞（实际上是非分裂细胞的群体）（类似于固定相老化的非继代培养细胞）如何提供上述种系的永生性。杰出的俄罗斯老年学家Zh.A. 最近去世的梅德韦杰夫（Medvedev）在1981年发表了他的出色著作“关于生殖线的不朽：遗传和生化机制。回顾”，其要点到今天为止都是相关的。他的论文只是讨论了这种“永生”的可能机制。在当前文章中对它们进行了详细分析，并且可以主要归结为存在许多障碍，在大多数情况下，这些障碍不允许子代从“旧”生殖细胞中出现（尽管配子中某些“恢复活力”的过程）仍然去）。因此，孩子是“刚出生的年轻人”。还考虑了一些其他方法来解释种系的永生性。特别注意“父母年龄效应”以及卵和精细胞在这种现象中的作用。目前的文章对它们进行了详细分析，主要可以归结为存在许多障碍，在大多数情况下，这些障碍不允许子代从“旧”生殖细胞中出现（尽管在某些情况下某些“复兴”过程）配子仍然可以）。因此，孩子是“刚出生的年轻人”。还考虑了一些其他方法来解释种系的永生性。特别注意“父母年龄效应”以及卵和精细胞在这种现象中的作用。目前的文章对它们进行了详细分析，主要可以归结为存在许多障碍，在大多数情况下，这些障碍不允许子代从“旧”生殖细胞中出现（尽管在某些情况下某些“复兴”过程）配子仍然可以）。因此，孩子是“刚出生的年轻人”。还考虑了一些其他方法来解释种系的永生性。特别注意“父母年龄效应”以及卵和精细胞在这种现象中的作用。