Lysomal Junk

Lysomal junk happens as lysosomes break down molecules and structures into their component parts.

However, sometimes chemical modifications of the structures to be broken down are in such form that the cell's degradation machinery does not work.

If something can't be broken down in the lysosome, it just stays there forever.

Now, according to scientists, this does not matter in cells that divide regularly, because division will dilute the junk away.

However, non-dividing cells are affected by this junk, and gradually will fill up with the junk material.

This type of cells are available in the heart, the back of the eye, some nerve cells and white blood cells within the artery wall.

Eventually, due to the accumulation of this junk, these types of cells stop working right.

To fix this situation, and dissolve this junk material, scientists rely on the law of microbial infallibility that says no matter what organic material we're talking about, there is going to be a microbe that can eat it.

In this specific case, scientists are looking for specialized microbes that can dissolve the lysomal junk from the non-dividing human cells.

In addition, there is a specific scientific initiative targeted at finding a solution to this problem, called LysoSENS, started by Methuselah Foundation.

Lysomal Junk - Studies