Purging the body of 'retired' cells could reverse ageing, study shows

Findings raise possibility that a future therapy that rids the body of senescent cells might protect against the ravages of old age

Purging retired cells from the body has been shown to undo the ravages of old age in a study that raises the prospect of new life-extending treatments .

When mice were treated with a substance designed to sweep away cells that have entered a dormant state due to DNA damage their fur regrew, kidney function improved and they were able to run twice as far as untreated elderly animals.