Description
Telomerase is an enzyme that regulates the lengths of telomeres in the cells of many organisms, and in humans it begins to function int the early stages of embryonic development. Telomeres are repetitive sequences of DNA on the ends of chromosomes that protect chromosomes from sticking to each other or tangling. In 1989, Gregg Morin found that telomerase was present in human cells. In 1996, Woodring Wright and his team examined human embryonic cells and found that telomerase was active in them. Scientists manipulate telomerase in cells to give cells the capacity to replicate infinitely. Telomerase is also necessary for stem cells to replicate themselves and to develop into more specialized cells in embryos and fetuses.
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Details
Title
- Telomerase in Human Development
Contributors
- Bartlett, Zane (Author)
- Turriziani Colonna, Federica (Editor)
- Arizona State University. School of Life Sciences. Center for Biology and Society. Embryo Project Encyclopedia. (Publisher)
- Arizona Board of Regents (Publisher)
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2015-03-23
Subjects
Keywords
- Concept
- Blackburn, Elizabeth H.
- Theories
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