With ageing, intrinsic haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) activity decreases, resulting in impaired tissue homeostasis, reduced engraftment following transplantation and increased susceptibility to diseases. However, whether ageing also affects the HSC niche, and thereby impairs its capacity to support HSC function, is still widely debated. Here, by using in-vivo long-term label-retention assays we demonstrate that aged label-retaining HSCs, which are, in old mice, the most quiescent HSC subpopulation with the highest regenerative capacity and cellular polarity, reside predominantly in perisinusoidal niches. Furthermore, we demonstrate that sinusoidal niches are uniquely preserved in shape, morphology and number on ageing. Finally, we show that myeloablative chemotherapy can selectively disrupt aged sinusoidal niches in the long term, which is linked to the lack of recovery of endothelial Jag2 at sinusoids. Overall, our data characterize the functional alterations of the aged HSC niche and unveil that perisinusoidal niches are uniquely preserved and thereby protect HSCs from ageing.

Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have shown that it is possible to extend the life of mice, without using any gene modifying technologies. The finding is the result of a study launched some years ago that aimed to investigate mice with hyper-long telomeres.

We’re continuing to release talks from Ending Age-Related Diseases 2019, our highly successful two-day conference that featured talks from leading researchers and investors, bringing them together to discuss the future of aging and rejuvenation biotechnology.

Sree Kant of Life Biosciences discussed investment and R&D in an aging world, demonstrating the necessity of rejuvenation biotechnology in keeping people over the age of 65 healthy and productive. He showed that we need effective treatments for the root causes of aging rather than just downstream conditions, bringing up the necessity of a broad rejuvenation ecosystem that uses VC and other investment to fund companies that focus on these root causes.