Cell stem cellJan 9, 2026

Methods to Slow Aging and Restore Organs Outside the Body

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jan 10, 2026

Abstract

Partial reprogramming could reverse age-related cellular damage through the transient expression of Yamanaka factors.

Aging is associated with a decline in physiological function and an increased risk of chronic diseases.
Interventions targeting the molecular hallmarks of aging include lifestyle changes, drugs, and genetic strategies.
Partial reprogramming aims to restore youthful cellular characteristics without losing cell identity.
Ex vivo machine perfusion technology allows rejuvenation therapies to be applied to donor organs outside the body.
Combining partial reprogramming with organ perfusion may improve organ quality and transplantation outcomes.

Simplified

Aging is characterized by a progressive decline in physiological function, driven by interconnected molecular hallmarks that increase the risk of chronic diseases. To extend health span, interventions targeting these hallmarks, including lifestyle modifications, pharmacological agents, and genetic strategies, have been developed. Among these, partial reprogramming, the transient expression of Yamanaka factors, has emerged as a powerful approach to reverse age-related cellular damage and restore youthful epigenetic and transcriptional signatures without erasing cell identity. This perspective highlights the therapeutic possibilities arising from the convergence of partial reprogramming with the innovative technology of ex vivo machine perfusion. These platforms offer a unique opportunity to apply rejuvenation therapies directly to suboptimal donor organs outside the body before transplantation. Combining these strategies could significantly improve organ quality, expand the donor pool, enhance transplantation outcomes, and advance regenerative medicine.

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Funding

Competing interests

Declaration of interests All the authors are employees of Altos Labs, Inc. P.R. and J.C.I.B. are inventors of several patent applications relating to rejuvenation technologies.

PubMed

Methods to Slow Aging and Restore Organs Outside the Body

Abstract

Full Text

Funding

Competing interests

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