Here's a good article from Scientific American:
http://www.sciam.com...9A083414B7F0000
It's about how the LOX1 gene which produces tropoelastin is responsible for skin elasticity. Is this why our skin gets wrinkly when we get old? Is it because this LOX1 gene breaks down, reducing our ability to polymerize elastin? Is this gene particularly weak, and vulnerable to breakdown/mutation due to aging?
I'd imagine that there would be a tremendous market demand for a therapeutic treatment that can improve skin's youthful appearance at the genetic level. It's shallow to say it, but there are more people out there who are vain about their skin, than there are people out there who need their SCID bubble boy disease cured. Skin appearance is a key outward indicator of youthfulness.
So is gene therapy that targets LOX1 a magical solution to get youthful looking skin? Comments?
