Conversely, where the telomeres have become shortened, the diminished capacity of a cell to divide shows up in the form of wrinkled skin, or hair loss. Scientists at Geron Corporation in San Francisco have been doing research with telomerase for many years. In mice, genetically engineered to have short telomeres, some accompanying aspects of aging are also present. In a disease called Dyskeratosis Congenita, where shortened telomeres occur as well, there are also conditions present that often accompany aging: anemia, poor skin and nails, and proneness to infection.
All of this suggests that a shortening of the telomeres has a direct connection with aging.

And this is where the excitement in present day research lies: find a way to keep the levels of telomerase in our cells elevated, and the cells should continue to divide in their original, youthful manner, avoiding senescence; keep the cells youthful in the various organs and tissues, and the organs and tissues remain youthful and healthy; keep the organs and tissues youthful and healthy and we remain youthful and healthy.

So the research race is on. But the road to success is not without its pitfalls. For one, telomerase, while found at high levels in youthful cells, is also found - as one might expect - at high levels in cancer cells: no doubt the reason cancer cells are able to continue their cell divisions in a rampant manner, although this is more likely an effect rather than a cause phenomenon. On the other hand, this fact may eventually lead cancer research to a new and formidable weapon in the war against that deadly disease.

In the war on aging, research on telomerase is proceeding apace, particularly in the field of genetics. As for affecting telomerase levels by means of hormonal therapies, researchers have already arrived at programs that are bearing fruit.

More on these hopeful topics in future chapters.