Role of stem cells in ageing and age-related diseases

Stem cell functions and ageing are deeply interconnected, continually influencing each other in multiple ways. Stem cells play a vital role in organ maintenance, regeneration, and homeostasis, all of which decline over time due to gradual reduction in their self-renewal, differentiation, and growth factor secretion potential. The functional decline is attributed to damaging extrinsic environmental factors and progressively worsening intrinsic genetic and biochemical processes. These ageing-associated deteriorative changes have been extensively documented, paving the way for the discovery of novel biomarkers of ageing for detection, diagnosis, and treatment of age-related diseases. Age-dependent changes in adult stem cells include numerical decline, loss of heterogeneity, and reduced self-renewal and differentiation, leading to a drastic reduction in regenerative potential and thereby driving the ageing process. Conversely, ageing also adversely alters the stem cell niche, disrupting the molecular pathways underlying stem cell homing, self-renewal, differentiation, and growth factor secretion, all of which are critical for tissue repair and regeneration. A holistic understanding of these molecular mechanisms, through empirical research and clinical trials, is essential for designing targeted therapies to modulate ageing and improve health parameters in older individuals.