Molecular Aging and Senescence

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Abstract
A general thermo-dynamic hypothesis for biological senescence is presented. Aging is defined in terms of thermodynamically spontaneous structural changes. The term senescence is confined to functional changes. The moving principle of molecular aging is considered the retractive force in biological networks. The network moves in the direction of minimum free energy by reducing the number and length of the effective chains in the amorphous regions. For collagen, this is accomplished by crystallite formation through hydrogen and hydrophobic bonding. Specific references are made to the aging of collagen and rubber which are consistent with the hypothesis. Several anticipations growing out of the hypothesis are enumerated.