Source:
http://times. hankooki. com/lpage/ tech/200606/ kt20060612094335 11780.htm

Anti-Aging Molecule Discovered


By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter

A team of South Korean scientists on Sunday claimed to have created a ``cellular fountain of youth,’’ or a small molecule, which enables human cells to avoid aging and dying.

The team, headed by Prof. Kim Tae-kook at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, argued the newly-synthesized molecule, named CGK733, can even make cells younger.

The findings were featured by the Britain-based Nature Chemical Biology online early today and will be printed as a cover story in the journal’s offline edition early next month.

``All cells face an inevitable death as they age. On this path, cells became lethargic and in the end stop dividing but we witnessed that CGK733 can block the process,’’ Kim said.

``We also found the synthetic compound can reverse aging, by revitalizing already-lethargic cells. Theoretically, this can give youth to the elderly via rejuvenating cells,’’ the 41-year-old said.

Kim expected that the CGK733-empowered drugs that keep cells youthful far beyond their normal life span would be commercialized in less than 10 years.

Other researchers here heaped praises on the discovery but they were cautious about the practical therapeutic application of the new substance.

``Obviously, it is an innovative finding. But we need to see whether or not CGK733 could really rejuvenate cells inside human bodies without generating side effects,’’ Prof. Kim Sung-hoon at Seoul National University said.

Prof. Kim Tae-kook, however, is confident about the commercial viability of CGK733, believing the efficiency of the material was created using state-of-the- art magnetic nano-probe technology.

``We have the magnet-associated technology to identify molecular targets inside living cells, which allowed us to examine the mechanisms of CGK733 directly,’’ Kim said.

``Unlike other research teams that must make candidates materials for drugs without being able to see their intra-cell activities, we know the precise mechanism of CGK733. So we have the better chance of making a success of the substance,’’ he continued.

Indeed, Kim basked in global recognition last June when he and his associates developed a technology dubbed MAGIC, short for magnetism-based interactive capture.

MAGIC uses fluorescent materials to check whether any drug can mix with targeted proteins inside the cell. The results were globally recognized by being printed by the U.S.-based journal Science at the time.

``MAGIC is kind of a source technology to see inside cells. Based on the method, we also found a pair of promising substances that can deal with cancers,’’ Kim said.

I hope this doesn't become something like cosmetic surgury for those plastic faced celebs.

I can imagine this will greatly aid in medicineal research though, Stuff resulting in the slow deteriation of cells could be slowed by this, and maybe even cured?

I wonder if this could be used to fight cancer if not cure it.

Hmm, I dont really see how, Cancers when the cells start to devide out of control, this would infact enhance cancer I believe.

I dont think anyone would want paris hilton and pamela anderson living for ever id feel bad for my grand children...



also... this fountain of youth in a test tube probobly cant do nothing if some one murders you... and cant do nothing if a asteroid hits earth... simple things like aging and desease will be eliminated... but wont vital organs still shut down if damaged 2 badly???

True but isn't cancer believed to be started by the constant division of cells in the first place? Damage cell DNA?

Of course you would still die if you got badly injured in an accident.. Who the hell wouldn't want to be young for a long period of time. Getting old is half the reason people want to die. If you stayed looking like your 21 you would want to live for as long as possible.
If they are keeping the cells youthful wouldn't this mean a drastically longer lifespan as the organs won't deteriorate? I'm down to be the labrat in this one. Hopefully this science is widely availableto the public and not supressed by people in power or only for the extremely wealthy.

I agree. I want it for everyone so I can have it. Yay for living longer.

Sweet, well, in 10 years I'll be only 34 so I can potentially remain relatively youthful looking in perpetuity.

then the worlds population will go threw the roof..what we gunna all eat..??

perhapes canibalisim is the answer?? if every1 just ate 1 person the problem would be halved over nite....hahaha

No i don't think the worlds population would go threw the roof. Humans just have to be smart and enforce a rule of 2 children per couple. The population will stablize if people are smart enough to obey.

count me out for cannibalism... makes me wanna throw up... :ill:

Has anyone seen anything else about this or were they just pulling our leg.