‘Remote control’ of aging
Matthew Ulgherait/UCLA
Activating a gene called AMPK in the nervous system induces the anti-aging cellular recycling process of autophagy in both the brain and intestine. Activating AMPK in the intestine leads to increased autophagy in both the intestine and brain. Matthew Ulgherait, David Walker and UCLA colleagues showed that this “inter-organ” communication during aging can substantially prolong the healthy lifespan of fruit flies.