Isayensi yokuguga: Ingabe singaphila phakade, futhi kufanele?

Ukuguga kumuntu wansuku zonke kumane kuwumphumela wokuhamba kwesikhathi. Ukuguga kuthatha ubunzima bakho ngokomzimba, kuzibonakalisa ezinweleni ezimpunga, imibimbi, kanye nokuphazamiseka kwenkumbulo. Ekugcineni, ukunqwabelana kokuguga okujwayelekile kubangela izifo ezibucayi kakhulu kanye ne-pathology, njengomdlavuza, noma i-Alzheimer's, noma isifo senhliziyo. Khona-ke, ngolunye usuku sonke siphefumula okokugcina bese singena kokungaziwa ngokuphelele: ukufa. Le ncazelo yokuguga, njengokungacacile nokungacacisi njengoba kungase kube njalo, iyinto eyaziwa ngokuyisisekelo yithi sonke.

Kodwa-ke, kukhona uguquko lwemibono olwenzekayo olungase luguqule indlela esiqonda ngayo futhi sibe nakho ubudala. Ucwaningo olusafufusa ngezinqubo zebhayoloji zokuguga, kanye nokuthuthukiswa kobuchwepheshe be-biomedical obuqondiswe kwizifo ezihlobene nobudala, lubonisa indlela ehlukile yokuguga. Eqinisweni, ukuguga akusabhekwa njengenqubo encike esikhathini, kodwa kunalokho kuqoqwa izindlela ezihlukene. Ukuguga, esikhundleni salokho, kungafaneleka kangcono njengesifo ngokwaso.

Faka u-Aubrey de Grey, i-Cambridge PhD enesizinda sesayensi yekhompiyutha, kanye ne-biomedical gerontologist ozifundise yona. Unentshebe ende egeleza esifubeni sakhe esinjengomhlanga kanye nomzimba. Ukhuluma ngokushesha, amagama aphuma emlonyeni wakhe ngendlela ekhangayo yamaNgisi. Inkulumo eshisa izikhotha ingahle ibe ihlaya lomlingiswa, noma kungenzeka ukuthi yavela emcabangweni wokuphuthuma awuzwayo mayelana nempi ayilwayo yokulwa nokuguga. U-De Gray ungumsunguli kanye noMphathi Omkhulu Wezesayensi we SENS Research Foundation, inhlangano esiza abantulayo ezinikele ekuthuthukiseni ucwaningo nokwelashwa kwezifo ezihlobene nobudala.

U-De Gray ungumlingiswa ongenakulibaleka, yingakho echitha isikhathi esiningi enikeza izinkulumo futhi eqoqa abantu emzamweni wokulwa nokuguga. Esiqeshini se Ihora le-TED Radio nge-NPR, ubikezela ukuthi “Eqinisweni, izinhlobo zezinto ongafa ngazo lapho uneminyaka eyikhulu noma engu-100 zingafana ncamashi nezinhlobo zezinto ongase ufe ngazo lapho usuneminyaka engu-200 noma engu-20 ubudala.”

Isixwayiso: ososayensi abaningi bangashesha ukuveza ukuthi izibikezelo ezinjalo ziyaqagela futhi kunesidingo sobufakazi obuqinisekile ngaphambi kokwenza izimangalo ezinhle kangaka. Eqinisweni, ngo-2005, i-MIT Technology Review yamemezela i- I-SENS Challenge, enikeza u-$20,000 kunoma isiphi isazi sebhayoloji yamangqamuzana esingabonisa ngokwanele ukuthi izimangalo ze-SENS eziphathelene nokuguqulwa kokuguga “zazingafaneleki impikiswano efundiwe”. Kuze kube manje, akekho oke wafuna umklomelo ophelele ngaphandle kwesiphakamiso esisodwa esiphawulekayo amajaji anomuzwa wokuthi sasikhuluma ngobuciko ukuze athole u-$10,000. Lokhu kushiya sonke thina bantu abafayo, nokho, ukuba sibhekane nobufakazi obungahlangani kahle, kodwa obuthembisa ngokwanele ukuba bufanelekele. ukucatshangelwa kwemiphumela yayo.

Ngemva kokuhlunga izindunduma zocwaningo kanye nezihloko zezindaba ezinethemba ngokweqile, nginqume ukugxila kuphela ezindaweni ezimbalwa ezibalulekile zocwaningo ezinobuchwepheshe obubambekayo kanye nokwelapha okuhlobene nokuguga nesifo esihlobene neminyaka.

Ingabe izakhi zofuzo ziphethe ukhiye?

Ipulani yempilo ingatholakala ku-DNA yethu. I-DNA yethu igcwele amakhodi esiwabiza 'ngofuzo'; izakhi zofuzo yizo ezinquma ukuthi amehlo akho azoba nombala onjani, ukuthi umzimba wakho ushesha kangakanani, nokuthi uzoba nesifo esithile yini. Ngawo-1990, uCynthia Kenyon, umcwaningi we-biochemistry eNyuvesi yaseSan Francisco futhi muva nje uqoke omunye wabesifazane abayi-15 abahamba phambili kwezesayensi ngo-2015 ngu. I-Business Insider, yethula umbono wokushintsha i-paradigm - ukuthi izakhi zofuzo zingase futhi zibhale ukuthi siphila isikhathi esingakanani, futhi ukuvula noma ukuvala izakhi zofuzo ezithile kungandisa isikhathi sempilo enempilo. Ucwaningo lwakhe lokuqala lwagxila kulo C. Elegans, izikelemu ezincane ezisetshenziswa njengezinto eziphilayo ocwaningweni ngoba zinemijikelezo yokwakheka kofuzo efana kakhulu kubantu. U-Kenyon uthole ukuthi ukucisha isakhi sofuzo esithile - i-Daf2 - kubangele ukuthi izikelemu zakhe ziphile ngokuphindwe kabili kunezikelemu ezivamile.

Okujabulisa nakakhulu ukuthi izikelemu aziphilanga nje isikhathi eside, kodwa zazinempilo isikhathi eside futhi. Ake ucabange uphila iminyaka engu-80 nengu-10 yaleyo mpilo oyichitha ushikashikana nobuthakathaka nezifo. Umuntu angase abe manqikanqika ngokuphila aze afike ku-90 uma kwakusho ukuchitha iminyaka engu-20 yokuphila ehlushwa izifo ezihlobene nobudala nezinga lempilo eliphansi. Kodwa izikelemu zikaKenyon zaphila iminyaka elingana ne-160 futhi iminyaka emihlanu kuphela yaleyo mpilo yachithwa 'ebudaleni'. Esihlokweni ku The Guardian, uKenyon wadalula lokho abanye bethu ababengathemba ngasese kuphela; “Ucabanga nje, 'Hawu. Mhlawumbe ngingaba yileso sibungu esiphile isikhathi eside.’” Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, uKenyon ubelokhu ephayona ucwaningo lokuhlonza izakhi zofuzo ezilawula inqubo yokuguga.

Umqondo uwukuthi uma singathola isakhi sofuzo esiyingcweti esilawula inqubo yokuguga, singase sikhiqize izidakamizwa eziphazamisa indlela yaleso sakhi sofuzo, noma sisebenzise amasu okushintsha izakhi zofuzo ukuze siziguqule ngokuphelele. Ngo-2012, i-athikili ku Isayensi yanyatheliswa mayelana nendlela entsha yobunjiniyela bezakhi zofuzo ebizwa ngokuthi i-CRISPR-Cas9 (okubizwa kalula ngokuthi i-CRISPR). I-CRISPR yashanela kumalebhu ocwaningo emhlabeni wonke eminyakeni elandelayo futhi yamenyezelwa Nature njengentuthuko enkulu yezobuchwepheshe ocwaningweni lwe-biomedical esikhathini esingaphezu kweminyaka eyishumi.

I-CRISPR iyindlela elula, eshibhile futhi ephumelelayo yokuhlela i-DNA esebenzisa ingxenye ye-RNA - i-biochemical elingana nejuba elithwala - eliqondisa ukuhlela ama-enzyme emgqeni we-DNA oqondiwe. Lapho, i-enzyme ingakwazi ukuhlwitha ngokushesha izakhi zofuzo futhi ifake ezintsha. Kubonakala kumnandi, ukukwazi 'ukuhlela' ukulandelana kofuzo lomuntu. Ngicabanga ososayensi benza amakholaji e-DNA elebhu, besika futhi benamathisela izakhi zofuzo njengezingane etafuleni lemisebenzi yezandla, belahla izakhi zofuzo ezingafunwa ngokuphelele. Kungaba iphupho elibi le-bioethicist ukudala izimiso ezilawula ukuthi lobo buchwepheshe busetshenziswa kanjani, futhi kubani.

Isibonelo, kube nesiyaluyalu ngasekuqaleni kwalo nyaka lapho ilebhu yocwaningo yaseShayina ishicilela ukuthi izame ukuguqula izakhi zofuzo zombungu (bheka isihloko sokuqala ku- Amaprotheni & Cell, kanye ne-kerfuffle eyalandela ku Nature). Ososayensi bebephenya amandla e-CRISPR ukukhomba isakhi sofuzo esibhekele i-β-thalassemia, ukuphazamiseka kwegazi okuzuzwa ngofuzo. Imiphumela yabo yabonisa ukuthi i-CRISPR ikwazile ukuhlukanisa isakhi sofuzo se-β-thalassemia, kodwa yaphinde yathinta ezinye izingxenye zokulandelana kwe-DNA okuholela ekuguqulweni kofuzo okungahlosiwe. Imibungu ayizange isinde, okuyinto egcizelela nakakhulu isidingo sobuchwepheshe obuthembekile.

Ngokuphathelene nokuguga, kucatshangwa ukuthi i-CRISPR ingasetshenziselwa ukukhomba izakhi zofuzo ezihlobene neminyaka futhi ivule noma ivale izindlela ezingasiza ekubambezeleni inqubo yokuguga. Le ndlela ingalethwa, ngokufanelekile, ngokugoma, kodwa ubuchwepheshe abukho eduze nokufinyelela lo mgomo futhi akekho okwazi ukusho ngokucacile ukuthi buyoke kwenzeke. Kubonakala sengathi ukwenza kabusha kabusha i-genome yomuntu nokushintsha indlela esiphila ngayo kanye (okungenzeka) sife kuseyingxenye yenganekwane yesayensi - okwamanje.

Izidalwa ze-Bionic

Uma igagasi lokuguga lingenakubangelwa ezingeni lezakhi zofuzo, khona-ke singabheka izindlela eziya phambili zokuphazamisa inqubo yokuguga nokwandisa ukuphila okunempilo. Kulo mzuzu emlandweni, izitho zokufakelwa kanye nokufakelwa izitho zomzimba kuyinsakavukela - izimanga ezimangalisayo zobunjiniyela lapho siye sathuthukisa, futhi ngezinye izikhathi sashintsha ngokuphelele, izinhlelo zethu zebhayoloji nezitho ukuze sisindise izimpilo. Siyaqhubeka nokuphusha imingcele yokuxhumana kwabantu; ubuchwepheshe, iqiniso ledijithali, nezinto zangaphandle zigxile kakhulu emizimbeni yethu yezenhlalo nengokwenyama kunangaphambili. Njengoba imiphetho yomzimba womuntu iba lufifi, ngiqala ukuzibuza, kunini lapho singeke sisakwazi ukuzibheka 'njengesintu' ngokuphelele?

Intombazane encane, uHannah Warren, yazalwa ngo-2011 ingenawo uqhoqhoqho. Wayengakwazi ukukhuluma, ukudla, noma ukugwinya yedwa, futhi amathemba akhe ayengabonakali kahle. Ngo-2013, noma kunjalo, wenza i- inqubo yokuphula phansi owafaka umgudu woqhoqhoqho okhule usuka kumaseli akhe. UHana waphaphama kule nqubo futhi wakwazi ukuphefumula, ngaphandle kwemishini, okokuqala ngqa empilweni yakhe. Le nqubo yazuza ukunakwa okuningi kwabezindaba; wayeyintombazane encane, ebukeka emnandi futhi kwakungokokuqala ngqa ukuthi le nqubo yenziwe e-US

Nokho, udokotela ohlinzayo okuthiwa uPaolo Macchiarini wayeseke waphayona eminyakeni emihlanu ngaphambili eSpain. Indlela yokusebenza idinga ukwakha isikafula esilingisa uqhoqhoqho kusuka kuma-nanofiber okwenziwa. I-scaffolding ibe 'seeded' nama-stem cells esiguli avunwa kumnkantsha wamathambo. Ama-stem cells akhuliswe ngokucophelela futhi avunyelwe ukukhula eduze kwe-scaffolding, enze ingxenye yomzimba esebenza ngokugcwele. Ukukhanga kwendlela enjalo ukuthi inciphisa kakhulu amathuba okuthi umzimba wenqabe isitho esitshaliwe. Phela lakhiwe ngamaseli abo!

Ukwengeza, ikhulula ingcindezi evela ohlelweni lokunikela ngezitho ezingavamile ukuba nomthamo owanele wezitho ezidingeka kakhulu. UHannah Warren, ngeshwa, washona kamuva ngawo lowo nyaka, kodwa ifa laleyo nqubo liyaqhubeka njengoba ososayensi belwa ngenxa yamathuba kanye nemikhawulo yomuthi onjalo wokuvuselela kabusha - ukwakha izitho ezivela kuma-stem cells.

Ngokusho kukaMacchiarini ku I-Lancetngo-2012, "Amandla amakhulu alokhu kwelashwa okusekelwe ku-stem-cell ukugwema ukunikela komuntu kanye nokuvinjelwa kwamasosha omzimba impilo yonke futhi ukwazi ukufaka esikhundleni sezicubu eziyinkimbinkimbi futhi, ngokushesha noma kamuva, izitho zonke."

Ngokushesha impikiswano yalandela lesi sikhathi esasibonakala sijabulisa. Abagxeki bazwakalise imibono yabo ekuqaleni kuka-2014 ku- Umhleli ku Ijenali Yokuhlinzwa Kwesifuba Nenhliziyo, engabaza ukuba nokwenzeka kwezindlela zikaMacchiarini futhi ebonisa ukukhathazeka ngezinga eliphezulu lokufa kwezinqubo ezifanayo. Kamuva ngalowo nyaka, iKarolinska Institute eStockholm, inyuvesi yezokwelapha ehlonishwayo lapho uMacchiarini enguprofesa ovakashile, uqalise uphenyo emsebenzini wakhe. Ngenkathi uMacchiarini wayenjalo kusulwe ekuziphatheni okubi ngasekuqaleni kwalo nyaka, kukhombisa ukungabaza emphakathini wesayensi ngamaphutha alo msebenzi obucayi nomusha. Noma kunjalo, kukhona a isivivinyo somtholampilo okwamanje okwenziwa e-US kuhlolwa ukuphepha nokusebenza kahle kwe-stem-cell engineered tracheal transplantation futhi ucwaningo kulinganiselwa ukuthi luzoqedwa ekupheleni kwalo nyaka.

Inqubo yenoveli kaMacchiarini akusona ukuphela kwesinyathelo esiya phambili ekudaleni izitho ze-bespoke - ukufika kwephrinta ye-3D kunomphakathi olungele ukuphrinta yonke into kusukela kumapensela kuye emathanjeni. Iqembu elilodwa labacwaningi abavela e-Princeton likwazile ukuphrinta i-prototype yendlebe esebenzayo ye-bionic ngo-2013, okubonakala sengathi ama-eons edlule uma kubhekwa ukuthi ubuchwepheshe buye bathuthuka ngokushesha kangakanani (bona isihloko sabo ku- Izincwadi zeNano). Ukuphrinta kwe-3D sekuhwetshwe manje, futhi kungase kube nomjaho wezinkampani ze-biotech ukubona ukuthi ubani ongamaketha isitho sokuqala esiphrintiwe se-3D.

Inkampani esekwe eSan Diego I-Organovo yavela esidlangalaleni ngo-2012 futhi ibisebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bokuphrinta be-3D ukuthuthukisa ucwaningo lwe-biomedical, isibonelo, ngokukhiqiza izibindi ezincane ezizosetshenziswa ekuhloleni izidakamizwa. Ubuhle bokuphrinta kwe-3D ukuthi akudingi isikafula sokuqala futhi kunikeza ukuguquguquka okwengeziwe - umuntu angase akwazi ukuhlanganisa ingqalasizinda kagesi nezicubu zebhayoloji futhi afake ukusebenza okusha ezithweni. Azikho izimpawu okwamanje zokuphrinta izitho ezisebenza ngokugcwele zokufakelwa komuntu, kodwa ukushayela kukhona njengoba kukhonjiswe ukubambisana kwe-Organovo ne- Methusela Foundation – omunye ungqondongqondo ka-Aubrey de Grey odume kabi.

I-Methuselah Foundation yinhlangano engenzi nzuzo exhasa ucwaningo lwemithi evuselelayo kanye nentuthuko, kubikwa ukuthi inikele ngemali engaphezu kwezigidi ezine zamaRandi kubalingani abahlukahlukene. Yize lokhu kungekuningi ngokwe-R&D yesayensi - ngokusho Forbes, izinkampani ezinkulu zemithi zingasebenzisa noma kuphi kusukela ku-$15 million kuya ku-$13 billion umuthi ngamunye, kanti i-biotechnology i-R&D iyaqhathaniswa – iseyimali eningi.

Ukuphila isikhathi eside kanye nenhlekelele kaThithonus

Ezinganekwaneni zamaGreki, uTithonus ungumthandi we-Eos, Titan of the dawn. UThithonus uyindodana yenkosi nenyoni yamanzi, kodwa uyafa. U-Eos, elangazelela ukusindisa isithandwa sakhe ekufeni ekugcineni, uncenga unkulunkulu uZeus ukuba aphe uThithonus ukungafi. UZeyusi unikeza uThithonus ukungafi, kodwa ngonya, u-Eos uyaqaphela ukuthi ukhohliwe nokucela ubusha baphakade. UTithonus uphila phakade, kodwa uyaqhubeka eguga futhi elahlekelwa amakhono akhe.

"Iminyaka yokungafi eceleni kobusha obungafi / Futhi konke engangiyikho, emlotheni" kusho Alfred Tennyson enkondlweni ebhalwe ngokombono womuntu olahlwe phakade. Uma sikwazi ukuncenga imizimba yethu ukuthi ihlale kabili isikhathi eside, asikho isiqinisekiso sokuthi izingqondo zethu zizolandela okufanayo. Abantu abaningi baba yizisulu ze-Alzheimer's noma ezinye izinhlobo zokuwohloka komqondo ngaphambi kokuba impilo yabo yomzimba iqale ukwehluleka. Kwakuvame ukufunwa kabanzi ukuthi ama-neurons awakwazi ukuvuselelwa, ngakho-ke ukusebenza kwengqondo bekungehla ngendlela engenakuhlehliswa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

Kodwa-ke, ucwaningo manje seluqinisekise ngokuqinile ukuthi ama-neuron angaphinda avuselelwe futhi abonise 'i-plasticity', okuyikhono lokwenza izindlela ezintsha nokudala ukuxhumana okusha ebuchosheni. Ngokuyisisekelo, ungafundisa inja endala amaqhinga amasha. Kodwa lokhu akwanele ukuvimbela ukulahleka kwenkumbulo phakathi neminyaka eyi-160 (ukuphila kwami ​​​​kokuya esikhathini esizayo kungase kuhlekwe ku-de Grey, othi abantu bangafinyelela eminyakeni engu-600 ubudala). Akufiseleki neze ukuphila impilo ende ngaphandle kwamandla engqondo ukuze sikujabulele, kodwa izenzakalo ezintsha eziyinqaba zibonisa ukuthi kungase kube khona ithemba lokusindisa izingqondo zethu nemimoya ekubuneni.

Ngo-Okthoba 2014, ithimba labacwaningi eNyuvesi yaseStanford laqala ukumenyezelwa kakhulu isivivinyo somtholampilo eyahlongoza ukufaka iziguli ze-Alzheimer ngegazi elivela kubanikezeli abasebasha. Isisekelo socwaningo sinekhwalithi ethile eyisithukuthezi, abaningi bethu abangayingabaza, kodwa isekelwe ocwaningweni oluthembisayo oseluvele lwenziwe ngamagundane.

NgoJuni 2014, kwashicilelwa indatshana ku Nature yeqembu lososayensi baseStanford echaza indlela ukumpompela igazi elincane emagundeni amadala okwayiguqula ngempela imiphumela yokuguga ebuchosheni kusukela engqamuzaneni kuya ezingeni lokuqonda. Ucwaningo lubonise ukuthi amagundane amadala, lapho ethola igazi elincane, azokhula ama-neurons, abonise ukuxhumana okwengeziwe ebuchosheni, futhi abe nenkumbulo engcono nokusebenza kwengqondo. Engxoxweni nabakwa Guardian, uTony Wyss-Coray - omunye wososayensi abahamba phambili abasebenza kulolu cwaningo, kanye noprofesa wesayensi yezinzwa eStanford - wathi, "Lokhu kuvula insimu entsha ngokuphelele. Lisitshela ukuthi iminyaka yento ephilayo, noma isitho esinjengobuchopho, ayibhalwanga etsheni. Kuyathandeka. Ungayihambisa uye ohlangothini olulodwa noma kwelinye.”

Akwaziwa kahle ukuthi yiziphi izici egazini ezibangela imiphumela emangalisa kangaka, kodwa imiphumela kumagundane ibithembisa ngokwanele ukuvumela ukuhlolwa komtholampilo ukuthi kugunyazwe kubantu. Uma ucwaningo luqhubeka kahle, lapho-ke singakwazi ukuhlonza izici eziyingqayizivele ezivuselela izicubu zobuchopho bomuntu futhi sidale umuthi ongase uhlehlise i-Alzheimer's futhi usigcine sixazulula amagama aphikisanayo kuze kube sekupheleni kwesikhathi.