Science · 16 July 2026 · From issue 08
Lowering one signal in cleanup cells reversed several signs of aging in mice.
Yuting Jessy Tan, Travis E. Conley et al., Restored clearance of senescent neutrophils by tissue-resident macrophages limits organ aging, Science.
Blocking a single chemical signal in old mice kept their bodies working like young ones. Aging bodies pile up worn out immune cells called neutrophils. Normally, cleanup cells inside organs clear these worn out cells away. As we get older, this cleanup slows down. Old cells pile up and damage nearby tissue. Scientists found a receptor, a kind of switch on cleanup cells, that controls this slowdown. Turning that switch down in old mice kept their brains sharp, kept their muscles strong, and kept their hearts, fat tissue, and whole body healthier. The same worn out cells and switch problem showed up in aging and sick human tissue too. A drug that blocks the switch restored normal cleanup in the lab.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 20 July 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Science). Read the source
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