In: Anatomy and Physiology
discuss how altered cellular communication and chronic inflammation work in the ageing process
There are many factors that leads to aging process and one of the major contributors is alteration of cellular communication and chronic inflammation. When there change in the morphology of the cells and ultimately the tissue, it tends to lead to atrophy and hence gradual degradation being one of the major contributors of aging. When there is increase in the pathogen and microbes and our immune system is not strong enough it is not able to clear the same and hence it might interrupt and disturb the cellular communication. It tends to hinder the inter-signaling process between the cells. The cells undergo many changes during the aging process and as the cell ages, the concentration of the plasma membrane increases and leads to a massive structural change. This tends to decrease the fluidity and changes cellular communication due to which it disrupts the transportation of nutrients, ions, proteins, amino acid etc. There is also a change in the nucleus, and it reduces the ability of the cells to divide and repair due to inability of DNA to synthesize RNA and hence more proteins. There is change in the concentration of the ribosomes leading to decrease in the synthesis of proteins. As the cell begin the process of aging, the number of mitochondria also changes and hence the cell is unable to produce energy. The lysosomal changes leads to increase in accumulation and buildup of the waste in the cell. When there is altered cell to cell communication, they are not to function together and are not able to transmit messages required regulatory functions.
When there is chronic inflammation, it tends to speed up the aging process because of the release of chemicals and inflammatory molecules. When there is increase in the release of the inflammation causing agents, it tends to damage the cells and hence causes chronic inflammation. When there is chronic inflammation, it tends to cause stem cell exhaustion and impair cellular communication and loss of telomere which tends to damage the cell. Due to the production of reactive oxygen species as well as inflammatory molecules, it tends to damage cells and population of stem cells causing aging.