ИСТИНА

Various problems which, in the author's opinion, contribute to incorrect interpretation of the data of experimental gerontological studies are listed. A special attention is focused on the "problem of reductionism" arising from the fact that in the absolute majority of gerontological theories the mechanisms of aging of multicellular organisms are reduced to certain macromolecular changes (no matter stochastic or programmed) in their constituent cells. Such reductionism ("it all depends on adverse changes in individual cells") has played its role, particularly in the development of numerous cytogerontological model systems for aging studies, the main of which are the Hayflick model and the "stationary phase aging" model. Noting the benefits of the second for studying the "true" mechanisms of aging and testing of geroprotectors, the author, nevertheless, concludes that such cytogerontological systems can be used only for the preliminary data obtaining. The final conclusions can be made merely with the help of longitudinal experiments on animals and clinical trials.