This article provides an overview of DNA methylation aging clocks, which are molecular tools used to measure an individual's age based on specific chemical modifications to their DNA. The authors discuss the current understanding and significant challenges in utilising these clocks, particularly in distinguishing between chronological age and biological aging. They also explore the utility of tissue- and disease-specific clocks and the importance of integrating epigenetics into large-scale longitudinal population studies to better understand aging dynamics. This paper then addresses the need for broader genome-wide analyses and the exploration of other epigenomic marks, as well as the potential and challenges of single-cell analysis to uncover cellular heterogeneity in aging. Finally, the authors emphasise the necessity of robust non-human data for mechanistic insights and the critical ethical and legal frameworks required for responsible application of these technologies.
Review paper:
Bell, C.G., Lowe, R., Adams, P.D. et al. DNA methylationaging clocks: challenges and recommendations. Genome Biol 20, 249 (2019)
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