Fig. 1: Age-related pathogenesis is a missing link in the chain of events between gene action and lifespan.
From: Machine learning predicts lifespan and suggests underlying causes of death in aging C. elegans
a The causal chain of events between gene action, aging and lifespan, and the gaps in our understanding thereof. This knowledge gap currently limits what we can usefully learn from studies of aging in this animal model. b Pathological changes from day 1–14 visibly affect the pharynx, intestine, gonad, and uterus (uterine tumors) and cause ectopic deposition of lipid/yolk in the body cavity (pseudocoelomic lipoprotein pools, PLPs). DIC images of worms with artificial coloring of organs/pathological changes. Top: Young, healthy animal with intact tissues and no pathology. Bottom: Old animal with multiple pathologies. c A surge in pathogenesis in early-mid adulthood. Development of age-related pathologies in C. elegans hermaphrodites starts in early adulthood, largely attaining their full extent by ~day 10. Error bars show S.E.M. d Heatmap of pathology development in experimental conditions used in the study, relative to control. Distinct improvement: pathology score reduced by >50%. Small improvement: pathology reduced by <50%. Small deterioration: pathology increased by <50%. Distinct deterioration: pathology increased by >50%. ND: Not determined. Control: standard culture conditions, wild type, 20 ˚C unless otherwise indicated.
