The University of Southampton

Author: Tanishi Taran

The Ethics of Immortality: Should We Reverse Ageing?

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What if science could slow down, or even reverse, the unavoidable process of ageing? Recent advances in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering can improve 3D bioprinting which will hold the key to extending human lifespan and improving quality of life in old age. Lab-grown organs to bionic implants, researchers are investigating ways to replace or rejuvenate aged tissues, potentially turning back the clock on the human body ​(1)​.   

The Science Behind Aging 

It is estimated that the average human lifespan is 121 years. Reactive oxygen species depletion, general wear and tear and genetic instability, telomere shortening, mitochondrial genome damage, are the causes of ageing which reduces the lifespan by several years ​(2)​.  

The ability to repair and regenerate damaged tissues and organs is the foundation of regenerative medicine’s promise. In addition to having the ability to repair some congenital defects, regenerative medicine has demonstrated encouraging outcomes in the regeneration and replacement of tissues and organs (skin, heart, kidney, and liver) ​(1)​. 

How Engineered Body Parts Can Slow Aging 

Lab-Grown Organs for Longevity: Researchers are creating bioengineered and 3D-printed organs that could take the role of deteriorating livers, kidneys, and hearts ​(3)​.  

Artificial Joints and Bones: cartilage-bone tissues can be created ​(4)​.   

Bionic Eyes and Ears: Second Sight Medical Products created the Argus® II implant, which targets the retina ​(5)​.  

But while reversing ageing sounds like an exciting prospect, it also raises serious ethical questions. Should we pursue this technology, and if so, how do we ensure it benefits everyone fairly?   

The Ethical Dilemmas of Anti-Aging 

 Technology While the science is promising, reversing aging isn’t just a medical question—it’s an ethical one. Here are some of the biggest concerns: 

1. Who Gets Access? – Wealth Inequality & Social Divide: The possibility that only the wealthy can afford anti-aging treatments is one of the main worries. A two-tiered society, where the rich live far longer while the poor age naturally, could result from making reversal ageing a privilege of the wealthy. Fairness and access are called into question: will life-extension technology become just another luxury item, or should it be seen as a human right? 

2. Overpopulation & Resource Strain: The world’s population might grow rapidly if people cease getting older, placing tremendous strain on the institutions that provide food, water, shelter, and healthcare. Would populations need to be controlled by societies? In order to balance longer lifespans, would we need to restrict births? A world where people live much longer could have disastrous environmental effects if it is not planned for. 

3. Ethical Boundaries – When Should Ageing Stop? Should we reverse ageing even if we could? How does a person’s sense of self and mental health change if they are physically 25 forever? Would the amount of ageing that could be reversed need to be limited by governments? Would society be able to tolerate a future in which no one ever genuinely ages? 

Finding a Balance 

It’s becoming possible to reverse ageing with synthetic body parts; it’s no longer a science fantasy. But we have to strike a balance between ethical duty and scientific advancement. To guarantee that life-extension technologies benefit everyone, not just a wealthy selects few, careful regulations, fair access, and careful debate are required. While I am excited about the possibilities, I also believe that we should approach these advancements cautiously, ensuring that they serve humanity as a whole rather than creating more social and ethical divides. 

The ultimate question is not “can we reverse ageing?” but rather “should we?” 

References

​​1. Dzobo K, Thomford NE, Senthebane DA, Shipanga H, Rowe A, Dandara C, et al. Advances in Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering: Innovation and Transformation of Medicine. Stem Cells Int [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2025 Mar 28];2018:2495848. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6091336/ 

​2. Aging: The Biology of Senescence – Developmental Biology – NCBI Bookshelf [Internet]. [cited 2025 Mar 28]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10041/ 

​3. Rando TA, Jones DL. Regeneration, Rejuvenation, and Replacement: Turning Back the Clock on Tissue Aging. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol [Internet]. 2021 Sep 1 [cited 2025 Mar 28];13(9):a040907. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8411956/ 

​4. Wu JY, Vunjak-Novakovic G. Bioengineering Human Cartilage–Bone Tissues for Modeling of Osteoarthritis. Stem Cells Dev [Internet]. 2022 Aug 1 [cited 2025 Mar 28];31(15–16):399. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9398485/ 

​5. Stronks HC, Dagnelie G. The functional performance of the Argus II retinal prosthesis. Expert Rev Med Devices [Internet]. 2013 Jan [cited 2025 Mar 28];11(1):23. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3926652/ 

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Tissue Regeneration with the Extracellular Matrix: Unlocking the Body’s Innate Healing Capabilities

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What is ECM?

All tissues and organs contain the extracellular matrix (ECM), a non-cellular substance that serves as a physical scaffold for the cellular components and initiates vital biochemical and biomechanical signals necessary for tissue morphogenesis, differentiation, and homeostasis (1).

The structures and functions of extracellular matrices (ECMs), which are multifaceted, well-organised, three-dimensional architectural networks, are crucial for tissue organisation and remodelling as well as for controlling cellular functions. Collagens, proteoglycans (PGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), elastin and elastic fibres, laminins, fibronectin, and other proteins and glycoproteins, including matricellular proteins, are the constituents of these ultrastructures (2).

The most prevalent protein in human tissue and the most important part of the extracellular matrix is collagen(3).

Figure above shows fibronectin and collagen.

ECM in healing

Healing is needed for several incidences for example surgical incisions or a clean laceration, soft tissue loss such as ulcerations, severe burns, and major surgeries.  These tissues heal with the help of several ECM components; granulation tissue formation, which is followed by the production of extracellular matrix (ECM), largely because of fibroblasts. Collagen provides tensile strength but leaves a scar this is because elastin is not produced which is present in the native skin(4).  

Current techniques involve the capacity of scaffolds to imitate native extracellular matrix (ECM) at scale makes their microarchitecture relevant to tissue engineering. This is believed to promote cellular ingrowth, ECM deposition, and the development of neotissue (4).

Tissue polarity and asymmetric stem cell division are maintained by the ECM acting as a point of anchoring for the cells. Growth factors can bind to many ECM components, regulating their release and presentation to target cells.  Because it creates morphogen gradients, this is particularly significant in morphogenesis.  Numerous intracellular signalling pathways and cytoskeletal machinery are activated when the extracellular matrix (ECM) sends mechanical signals to the cells(3). 

ECM-Based Therapies

Several scaffolding techniques are used to heal peri-implant soft tissues for example Decellularized human dermis, Human amniotic membrane, Bilayer collagen matrix, Volume-stable collagen matrix and many more(5).

The use of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture, Scaffolds, Hydrogels, Decellularized tissues, Microfluidics, Extracellular matrix (ECM) for cancer research as these techniques are more cost effective as well as ethical(6).

Through the transplantation of bone tissue engineering scaffolds to the bone defect site and the subsequent bodily replacement of the scaffold materials with new bone tissues, the combination of scaffolds, seed cells, and cytokines aims to repair the bone defect. Scaffold, a transient and synthetic extracellular matrix, directly affects cell proliferation and differentiation and can stimulate the growth of new bone(7).

Conclusion

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic and vital component of tissue regeneration, directing cellular activity and the healing process. It is much more than just a structural framework. Scientists are creating innovative treatments, such decellularized scaffolds and synthetic mimics, that have great potential for mending injured tissues and organs by comprehending and utilising the natural features of the extracellular matrix. We are getting closer to a time when regenerative medicine may fully utilise the body’s own healing mechanisms as long as research into the ECM continues to reveal its full potential. In addition to providing patients with injuries or degenerative diseases with hope, this opens the door for novel, transformative therapies. The ECM serves as a reminder that sometimes the finer aspects of our own biology hold the secret to healing.

References

1.           Frantz C, Stewart KM, Weaver VM. The extracellular matrix at a glance. J Cell Sci [Internet]. 2010 Dec 15 [cited 2025 Mar 11];123(24):4195. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2995612/

2.           Karamanos NK, Theocharis AD, Piperigkou Z, Manou D, Passi A, Skandalis SS, et al. A guide to the composition and functions of the extracellular matrix. FEBS J [Internet]. 2021 Dec 1 [cited 2025 Mar 11];288(24):6850–912. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/febs.15776

3.           Walker C, Mojares E, Del Río Hernández A. Role of Extracellular Matrix in Development and Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2025 Mar 11];19(10). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30287763/

4.           Diller RB, Tabor AJ. The Role of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) in Wound Healing: A Review. Biomimetics [Internet]. 2022 Sep 1 [cited 2025 Mar 11];7(3):87. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9326521/

5.           Tavelli L, McGuire MK, Zucchelli G, Rasperini G, Feinberg SE, Wang HL, et al. Extracellular matrix-based scaffolding technologies for periodontal and peri-implant soft tissue regeneration. J Periodontol [Internet]. 2020 Jan 1 [cited 2025 Mar 11];91(1):17–25. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31475361/

6.           Abuwatfa WH, Pitt WG, Husseini GA. Scaffold-based 3D cell culture models in cancer research. J Biomed Sci [Internet]. 2024 Dec 1 [cited 2025 Mar 11];31(1):7. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10789053/

7.           Su X, Wang T, Guo S. Applications of 3D printed bone tissue engineering scaffolds in the stem cell field. Regen Ther [Internet]. 2021 Mar 1 [cited 2025 Mar 11];16:63. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7868584/