The Countdown at the End of Your Chromosomes
Protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, made of repetitive DNA sequences. Every time a cell divides, telomeres get shorter. When they run out, the cell can no longer divide.
TTAGGG TTAGGG TTAGGG TTAGGG TTAGGG
Human cells can divide approximately 40-60 times before telomeres become critically short. This is the Hayflick Limit -- the biological clock that counts down from birth.
The enzyme that rebuilds telomeres. Active in stem cells and cancer cells. The key to both immortality research and oncology.
hTERT + hTR = Telomerase holoenzyme
Exercise, caloric restriction, and stress reduction have been shown to slow telomere shortening. Sleep quality directly correlates with telomere length maintenance.
GET /api/v1/telomere-length
Content-Type: application/json
{
"age": 35,
"avg_length_bp": 7200,
"percentile": 62,
"rate_loss_bp_yr": 24.5
}
function measureTelomere(dna) {
const pattern = /TTAGGG/g;
const repeats = dna.match(pattern);
return {
length: repeats.length * 6,
status: repeats.length > 300
? "healthy"
: "critical"
};
}