Biomarkers of aging: from molecules and surrogates to physiology and function.

Abstract

Many countries face an unprecedented challenge in aging demographics. This has led to an exponential growth in research of aging, which, coupled to a massive financial influx of funding in the private and public sectors, has resulted in seminal insights into the underpinnings of this biological process. However, critical validation in humans have been hampered by the limited translatability of results obtained in model organisms, additionally confined by the need for extremely time-consuming clinical studies in the ostensible absence of robust biomarkers that would allow monitoring in shorter time frames. In the future, molecular parameters might hold great promise in this regard. In contrast, biomarkers centered on function, resilience and frailty are available at the present time, with proven predictive value for morbidity and mortality. In this review, the current knowledge of molecular and physiological aspects of human aging, potential anti-aging strategies, and the basis, evidence, and potential application of physiological biomarkers in human aging are discussed.