• Question: how many times would a cell usually divideuntil it stops or does it stop?

    Asked by hazattack to Mario, Dr D on 18 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by officialnerd.
    • Photo: Mario Ruiz

      Mario Ruiz answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      That’s an interesting question! The number of times cells divide is different from each type of cell in our bodies. For example, cells that form the inside layer of our guts needs to divide very frequently, because we are constantly digesting food and they need to be ready for that: they divide every hour approximately. But liver cells don’t work that hard and they normally divide every month or so. Neurons don’t divide at all during our entire life, so better to take care of them properly!

    • Photo: Andrew Devitt

      Andrew Devitt answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      @hazattack
      Once upon a time, cells were thought to live forever but that’s not true and you are right that they divide for a while before they stop. The number of times they divide is called the ‘Hayflick limit’ after the scientist who thought of this.

      As cells divide, a bit of the DNA (called telomere) shortens. Eventually the cell gets tired and divides more slowly and then stops. When the telomeres are short, the cell stops dividing. So there’s research out there to see if we can stop the telomeres shortening and get our cells to live longer/

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