TELOMERE LENGTH IN NUCLEATE BLOOD CELLS FROM BABOONS OF VARIOUS AGES

这个子项目是众多研究子项目之一

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The purpose of the study is to analyze the telomere (ends of a chromosome) length in various blood cells from normal healthy baboons in relation to their age. We have found in normal humans that the telomere length in various blood cells clearly declines with age. This finding suggests that the telomere length can be used as a surrogate marker for biological age. We would like to know if the same applies to other large outbred animals such as baboons. An additional rationale for the study is that by inclusion of animals with a detailed pedigree and genetic map we hope to link variation in telomere length with specific genetic loci.